Game #24
ART U Urban Knights (6-17, 2-10 PacWest) at FPU Sunbirds (11-7, 4-4 PacWest)
Thursday, Mar. 17, 2022 at 5 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. – FPU Diamond
Live Stats | Live Video

Game #25 & 26
ART U Urban Knights (6-17, 2-10 PacWest) at FPU Sunbirds (11-7, 4-4 PacWest)
Friday, Mar. 18, 2022 at 2 & 5 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. – FPU Diamond
Live Stats | Live Video

Games #27
ART U Urban Knights (6-13, 2-6 PacWest) vs. APU Cougars (6-10, 1-3 PacWest)
Saturday, Mar. 19, 2022 at noon
Fresno, Calif. – FPU Diamond
Live Stats | Live Video

KING OF THE ROAD
Academy of Art baseball is looking to rebound after its most recent series, as ART U will get a break from Pacific West Conference play when the Knights take on Fresno Pacific in a four-game set of non-conference action beginning on Thursday. 

FIRST PITCH
This four-game series will be spread out over three days, starting with first pitch at 5 p.m. on Thursday. The twin bill will be played on Friday beginning at 2 and 5 p.m., with the series concluding on Saturday at noon. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps. 

KNIGHT WATCH 
Starting pitching from Azusa Pacific kept the Academy of Art bats in check during its four-game series, as the Knights averaged just 1.0 run per game in the series. Two of those runs came in exciting fashion on swings from two graduate students, catcher Ryan Gamboa and outfielder Travis Turney, as both left the yard for solo homers in games one and two. ART U would score two runs in game three, their most in a game in the series, and received a quality pitching out from senior pitcher Cannon Secrist when he tossed 7.0 innings with just two earned runs allowed on six hits and eight strikeouts. 

Through 23 games the Urban Knights are averaging 3.13 runs per game, scoring a high of nine runs during a victory over Cal State East Bay on Feb. 5. ART U has recorded double-digit hits twice this season, happening in back-to-back games beginning with 13 hits in the series finale with Sonoma State in a winning effort, followed by 12 more the next time out in defeat at the hands of HNU in the series opener.

Sitting with the best batting average in the early season is Turney, sitting at .286 (22-for-77) on the season with team-highs in doubles (4), triples (3), and RBI (11), as well as the homer and 14 runs scored. The trio of three-baggers has already tied Turney for fifth-most in a season in school history, matching the mark archived last season by redshirt senior shortstop Dominic Ruggiero. Additionally, Turney is a true threat on the base paths going 10-for-13 in stolen base opportunities, the most stolen bases on ART U. Directly behind Turney in batting average is senior first baseman Vincent Lontz, hitting .274 (20-for-73) with four doubles and seven RBI. Meanwhile, junior outfielder Charles Morgan has provided much of the pop at the plate for ART U, slugging five home runs through his first 23 games which is already tied for third in a single season in ART U history. He surpassed the four homers from last season by current senior outfielder Ty Conrad and alum Noah Daubin.

Senior Collin Carriger has been one of the most consistent pitchers on the staff for the Urban Knights, pitching deep into games and logging a 2-4 record with a 3.49 ERA and 1.06 WHIP (lowest among pitchers with at least 2.0 innings pitched). His 55 strikeouts in 49.0 innings pitched are also top marks in the PacWest, and he has totaled an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio by allowing just 21 free passes this season. Directly behind him is Secrist, who has earned the most wins for ART U on the hill with a 3-4 record and a 5.31 ERA to go with a 1.33 WHIP in 40.2 innings pitched across his six starts. He is only one punch out behind Carriger on the season with a total of 54, which is the second-most in the PacWest. The only save on the team belongs to right-handed sophomore Dallen Turner, which he notched on Feb. 5 as he preserved the win against Cal State East Bay with a pair of strikeouts. 

KNIGHTS' QUEST
Academy of Art has had an up-and-down season in the early going, dropping the season opener to Stanislaus State despite putting up a three-run inning in the middle third of the contest before also losing the first two series of the year against Cal State East Bay and Sonoma State, though they were able to win game three in each of those two sets. Though ART U was blanked in the series opener against CSUEB, the tides turned in a doubleheader as the Knights more than quadrupled their season run total with their 13-run output on the final day of the series, highlighted by a seven-run inning that ultimately led to the first win of the year for Academy of Art. Clashing with SSU in a three-game series for the first time since 2017, the Urban Knights' offense was kept in check during game one and limited to just four runs in game two, but would salvage the final game of the series with a pair of three run innings that ultimately led to a 7-1 win.

The first series split of the year would come against Holy Names in non-conference action thanks to a doubleheader sweep on the final day of the set. Propelling ART U to victory was junior outfielder Charles Morgan, who was a combined 6-for-15 (.400) with six runs scored, five RBI, two walks, a double, and three home runs while also leading the PacWest in total bases for the week (16). He is just the fifth Urban Knight in history to have a multi-homer game (last: Noah Daubin; 5/21/21), and his production would earn him recognition from the conference, as he was tabbed as the PacWest Player of the Week on Feb. 21. Senior right-hander Collin Carriger notched his first win in the series-opening upset against No. 23 Concordia by tossing a complete game, striking out an ART U record 16 batters in the process. For his effort, Carriger would be named both the PacWest Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 28) and the NCBWA West Region Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 1). However, The Eagles would steal the series with three consecutive victories in games 2-4. Though Academy of Art would once again win the series opener the against Biola thanks to the third consecutive game of 10 or more strikeouts from Carriger, it was BU that would take the final three games and deny ART U its first series win of 2022. 

SLUGGING WITH THE SUNBIRDS
Right in the middle of the PacWest standings are the Sunbirds, who sit near the bottom of the conference stats leaders in all offensive categories with the exception of batting average (third; .278) and triples (second; 11). Pitching is the true strong suit of Fresno Pacific with the second-lowest ERA in the conference at 3.74 thanks to the third-lowest earned runs allowed (62), though they do not register many strikeouts second-fewest in the PacWest. Four different Sunbirds are above the .300 mark led by the .400 batting average from Jared Aguilar, as he also leads the team in doubles (five) and RBI (17). Trailing just behind him was Khalid Johnson at .375, registering a conference-best six triples in addition to going a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen base opportunities. From the hill, Gino Helmuth has recorded a 2-0 record with two saves in 11.1 innings pitched across seven appearances without allowing a single run. Of the starting pitching staff, Justin Fuson has made five starts and totaled a 3.37 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP with 25 strikeouts in 26.1 innings pitched. Thanks to being winners of the past three meetings, Fresno Pacific is in front of Academy of Art in the all-time series, 35-12. 

COUGAR PITCHING SEALS SERIES WIN OVER ART U
Bouncing back from a tough loss to Azusa Pacific in game one of a Pacific West Conference doubleheader, Academy of Art baseball had the chance to split the Saturday twin bill by loading the bases with the winning run on first in the series finale, but APU would shut the door on the ART U comeback to preserve a 2-0 win in seven innings. 

ON DECK
An extended road trip awaits the Urban Knights, as they will travel to the Hawaiian Islands beginning with UH Hilo on Friday, Mar. 25 for their first road PacWest series of the year.