ALAMEDA, Calif. – In a battle of the top two teams in the Pacific West Conference Northern California pod, Academy of Art baseball opened a seven-run lead over Fresno Pacific early in game one, but FPU would eventually fight back for an 11-10 win in extra innings. Riding that momentum, FPU would cruise to a 14-6 victory in the shortened second part of a twin bill on Saturday from Pat Bail Field at the College of Alameda. 

It was a tough way to end the season series against the Sunbirds (15-13, 11-9 PacWest), as despite the Urban Knights (10-10, 10-10 PacWest) totaling 25 hits and 16 runs on the day, it was FPU that would sweep the doubleheader and ultimately win the final series between the two teams three games to one. Graduate student outfielder Andrew Shebloski totaled five hits on the day including a 3-for-5 effort in game one, his third three-hit game of the season (the most on ART U) and his ninth multi-hit effort of the campaign in total (tied for second most). Also recording a pair of multi-hit games was junior first baseman Vincent Lontz, going a combined 4-for-10 between the two contests.

After redshirt junior shortstop Dominic Ruggiero got a base knock in game one to extend both his hitting streak (16 games) and reached base safely streak (19 games), both would come to an end in game two. The reached base safely streak ties an ART U program record, having been set by Lyle "Kalani" Brackenridge in 2013. The next current longest reached base streak belongs to sophomore infielder Adam Inouye, who picked up a hit in game one before drawing a walk in game two to extend his streak to 13 games. 

GAME ONE – FPU 11, ART U 10 (11 INNINGS)
It was a quick start to the game for ART U, who opened the game with three straight singles from Shebloski, Ruggiero and capped off by junior outfielder Ty Conrad, who earned an RBI for his efforts. Two batters later, graduate student infielder Justin Summers would execute a perfect safety squeeze bunt as Ruggiero dashed home for the 2-0 lead. However, the lead would not last long as the Sunbirds would plate two of their own in the away half of the second, starting with back-to-back doubles to score their first run. Later in the inning with two outs, an RBI single through the right side from leadoff hitter Michael Warkentin would knot the game at 2-2. 

A series of FPU miscues would help aide the Knights in the third, as they would score three times, the first of which came on a passed ball. Sophomore designated hitter would immediately follow with an RBI single, and before the Sunbirds could get out of the inning, ART U would score once more on a pop up in the infield that would land between all defenders, giving graduate student catcher Ryan Gamboa a hit and an RBI in the process.

Two quick outs would begin the home half of the fifth, but then ART U would reel off four consecutive hits, a walk, and yet another hit as they scored four runs in total. Mixed into that sequence was a double steal executed by Summers and Lontz, as Lontz drew the attention of the defense long enough for Summers to swipe home. Among the five hits were RBI singles from Gamboa and Shebloski. 

In the seventh was when FPU would finally answer all of the ART U offense, scoring five runs in the top of the sixth before capturing the lead with three more in the seventh inning. But the Urban Knights would not go away quietly, forcing extra baseball after they received a two-out RBI single from Summers through the left side, allowing Shebloski to scamper home for his third run of the game. 

One swing of the bat would be all it takes to shift the tides, as a home run from Matt McGrady with two outs in the top of the eleventh would sail over the right center field fence to put the Sunbirds on top for good. The Knights would go 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame to end it. 

Ending the game 3-for-6 with three runs and two RBI from the top of the order was Shebloski, while seven other seven other Urban Knights in the order all scored one run. Summers and Gamboa were also responsible for two RBI apiece, with Summers adding a double to his stats. 

GAME TWO – FPU 14, ART U 6 (7 INNINGS)
It was Fresno Pacific that started all the scoring in game two, returning the favor to ART U with a six-run first inning and never looking back. A wild pitch would allow the Knights to steal a run back in the bottom of the frame, but couldn't compete with the seven runs that FPU would tack on during the away half of the second inning. 

ART U tried to keep it interesting, plating four runs in the bottom of the seventh as they tried to mount the comeback. However, it was too little too late for the Knights, as they would wind up dropping both games to FPU. 

Adding another two runs to a 2-for-3 performance was Shebloski, while ART U's leader in RBI Ty Conrad would go 1-for-4 with a run and another two RBI. Lontz chipped in another pair of hits in a 2-for-4 game, while sophomore outfielder Hayato Niki was 2-for-4 with two runs and a double. 

Next week will be the return to the diamond for the Urban Knights, as they will face off with the Urban Knights in a four-game series starting Friday.