FRESNO, Calif. – Riding the momentum of a win in game two and looking to get above .500 for the first time this season, Academy of Art baseball reached the scoreboard first and held brief leads in both parts of Saturday's twin bill against Fresno Pacific, but FPU twice came back to take the day's doubleheader and the series by finals of 8-4 and 4-1 (7 innings). 

"We had a really tough day as we didn't execute in all three phases of the game," said ART U Head Coach Dan McDermott. "Our starting pitching was good and [Cannon] Secrist threw a gem in game two. However, our defense was inconsistent and errors led to big innings for FPU in each game."

Both the Urban Knights (8-13, 3-5 PacWest) and the Sunbirds (10-12, 4-3 PacWest) put up a two-spot in the third and then once more in the fifth, but from then on it was all Sunbirds as their six unanswered runs were too much for ART U to overcome despite adding another tally in the eighth. In the shortened second game the Knights repeated the feat, scoring the game's first run in the top of the third to take the early lead, but four unearned and unanswered runs for Fresno Pacific in the home half of the fourth decided the contest. 

The trio of freshman shortstop Gabe Henderson, graduate student outfield Travis Turney, and junior second baseman Larry Fonseca recorded hits in both games, with Henderson (3-for-7, two runs, double) and Turney (3-for-6, RBI, double) each tallying three hits while Fonseca (2-for-7, two runs, double) had a pair. 

GAME ONE – FPU 8, ART U 4
Despite putting runners on in each of the first two innings, including a first-inning double from senior outfielder Hayato Niki, it wasn't until the third that they found their first run with a rally that was started on a double by Fonseca. After moving up to third on a sacrifice attempt by Henderson, who also reached base via a fielder's choice, he ultimately scored on a single up the middle from Niki and was later joined by Henderson on a sacrifice fly from redshirt junior catcher Liam Rizzo.

Unfortunately the lead was short-lived, as a single and a hit batter put two on before a groundout to first moved them both into scoring position, later scoring on a two-out single that once brought the game level again at 2-2. Both teams again had baserunners in the fourth but left them stranded. 

Academy of Art again jumped back in front 4-3 in the top of the fifth, doing so with a pair of doubles as Henderson led off the frame with one down the left field line, and scored two batters later on an RBI double to left field from Turney. Once again the Sunbirds matched that run in the home half of the frame, doing so in leadoff fashion on one swing as Jared Aguilar homered to left. 

Fresno Pacific continued the offense in each of the next two innings, scoring twice in the sixth and three times in the seventh to take a comfortable 8-3 lead. That made FPU able to withstand an ART U run in the top of the eighth when a pair of walks and a wild pitch resulted in a run. 

In addition to hitting a home run, Aguilar picked up the win on the hill (1-1) for Fresno Pacific by tossing 6.0 innings and giving up three earned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts and no walks allowed. For tossing the final three frames, Gino Helmuth picked up his first save of the year while allowing just one unearned run.

Charged with the loss was ART U junior righty Koh Maeda, with his record dropping to 3-2 on the campaign. Four of the five ART U hits in the game were doubles, and the other was a single that gave Niki the only multi-hit game for the Knights (team-leading seventh of the season). 

GAME TWO – FPU 4, ART U 1 (7 INNINGS)
Henderson singled after a long game-opening at-bat, and then stole second, to immediately put the pressure on the Sunbirds. However, he was left stranded in scoring position there at second base, and FPU nearly did the same as they left runners at the corners after a walk and two-out single. 

Following a quick second inning, the Urban Knights pushed across the game's first run when they started a rally with a pair of singles from Fonseca and Henderson. Niki then reached on an error which loaded the bases, and all three advanced a base on a passed ball with Fonseca making the game 1-0. 

This time the lead lasted for more than a half inning, but was erased in the bottom of the fourth after a hit batter, single, and error loaded the bases in front of one more walk to tie the contest with an unearned run. Following a pair of quick strikeouts where ART U was nearly out of the jam, a double down the left field line and another error pushed across all three runs, with all three going in the unearned column. 

Looking for a comeback, the Knights put a pair of runners on in the top of the seventh thanks to a walk and a hit batter, but both were left stranded to end the game. Charged with the loss despite tossing a complete game was graduate student right-hander Cannon Secrist, who allowed the four unearned runs on just four hits. Both Henderson and Turney were 2-for-3, while Fonseca ended 1-for-3 with a run scored. 

"Henderson was outstanding at both the plate and in the field as he continues his impressive freshman season," McDermott said. "Rizzo and Turney both left it on the field this weekend. Playing hurt and tired, their examples it he fueld we need to navigate the upcoming conference travel ahead."

In one week the Urban Knights will be back on the diamond, as they continue the road trip with a four-game series against Biola beginning with a doubleheader at noon on Friday, March 24.