Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Oakland, CA -- In the final matchup of the year with non-conference opponent Cal State Stanislaus, the Academy of Art University baseball team overcame two tough losses in the first two games of the series to finish on top, and in dramatic fashion. After losing the opener 9-0, the Urban Knights mounted a late charge in the second game, coming from behind to force the game to extra innings before junior Ryan Ramirez hit a walk-off double in the ninth to win the finale 6-5. 

The Warriors got on the board first against Nate Gercken, putting together two hits, a fielder's choice, and a hit by pitch to take a 1-0 lead after the second inning. They added another third, this time unearned, on a double to left by first baseman James Heller, and three in the third on an inning that featured two triples.

The Knights struggled in the first game, as they found themselves in a familiar situation by getting runners on and stranding them on the base paths. While Stanislaus was getting their runs, the Knights stranded four runners on base through the first five innings, including double plays in the fourth and fifth that ended ART U threats.

Stanislaus got one more in the sixth off of Gercken to make it 6-0, and then got two in the seventh and one in the eighth off of freshman Kai Fink to get to 9-0, which would end up being the final score. The Knights got two hits in the eighth before another double play, and then had their best chance to score in the ninth, when Ramirez hit a double to left. After a fielder's choice wiped out pinch runner Devin Mason, the Knights got a single and another fielder's choice, but were kept off the board.

Rafael Vasquez went the distance for Cal State Stanislaus, with third baseman Skippy Ferreria going 5-for-6 for the day, scoring two runs and driving in one. Ramirez ended the first game 2-for-4 with a double, while Lyle "Kalani" Brackenridge added another hit. Samm McAlear pitched a scoreless ninth for ART U.



Nicholas Boyett got the call in the second game, and was shutting down the Warriors offense, as he didn't allow a baserunner until the third and didn't allow the first hit until the fourth. Unfortunately for the freshman, that first hit was a single that set up the second hit, a two-run homer from Andy Yingling after a nine-pitch battle that made it 2-0.

The Urban Knights responded in a fashion that has been typical for them and especially their right-fielder this year. Stefen Henderson worked a walk, his 29th of the year. He then stole second (his 16th) and third (his 17th) on back-to-back pitches with Myles Babitt hitting. Babitt worked a walk, and then Dante Redhead hit a sacrifice fly to center, making it a one-run ballgame at 2-1.

Boyett ran into trouble again in the fifth, though, working a full-count to Tynan Pedretti before walking him. That walk came around to score on a double to left-center from Matt Chaidez, and two batters later, with Ryan Donahoe now on the mount, Craig Beevers hit one through the drawn in infield on the right side to score both run, and it was a 5-1 game.

But again the Knights battled back. A single, an infield hit, and a walk loaded the bases, which led to a crucial play in the game. Ramirez hit a ball to the third-baseman, who bobbled it and then compounded the mistake by throwing the ball in the dirt at first, which brought Joey Marchini around from second to score. Henderson followed with a sacrifice fly that brought in Tino Leite, and it was a 5-4 game after five innings.

Donahoe set the Warriors down in the sixth, which set the Knights up in their half against Stanislaus's Pete Pendley. Redhead greeted Pendley to the game with a loud double to left, and then Wade Broadstreet reached when the Warriors tried to get Redhead at third on a bunt attempt. James Singzon then hit a ball deep enough to center for Redhead to tag, and it was a tied game at 5-5.

The Warriors almost got to Donahoe in the seventh, as the ART U closer walked the bases loaded with two outs. But in a 2-2 count to Andrew Graves, he induced the catcher to ground one to Redhead at third, ending the inning and the threat. He would set them down in the eight as well, walking one but serving up a perfect double play that went from Broadstreet to Brackenridge to Ramirez, and the Knights came up in the eighth.

ART U almost won it there, when Redhead singled to center with one out. Singzon drew a walk, and with two outs Marchini singled through the left side. Third base coach Mike Felder saw an opportunity and waved in the big third-baseman, and it took a perfect throw from Ross Gonsalves and a good tag from Graves to get Redhead at the plate.

The game went to the ninth inning, and after a single and an error by Chaidez, the Warriors had a runner on second with only one out. Donahoe was lifted for Yoshi Uemura, who allowed Chaidez to steal third. In a 3-2 count, after a couple failed squeeze attempts, including one that rolled just foul, Uemura got Justin Charles to hit the ball weakly back to him on the mound. Uemura flipped to Singzon, who then chased down Chaidez to get the second out and keep a run off the board. A flyout to center pushed the game to the bottom of the ninth.

In the last inning, the Knights worked quickly. Brackenridge had a hit that ticked off a diving Charles at second base, and went to second on a balk. Ramirez came up, and in a 1-1 count, after the balk and a meeting on the mound, the junior ripped one deep to left-center that hit the wall on a hop, which brought in Brackenridge from second and sent the Knights home winners.

Ramirez was in the thick of it, going 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Brackenridge had two more hits to raise his average to a team-high .271, while Redhead went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Joseph Marchini also had two hits and a run for ART U. Uemura (1-0) got the win, the first of his career, while throwing two-thirds of an inning of scoreless work. Danny Molieri (2-2) took the loss for Cal State Stanislaus.

The Knights will be back in action this weekend in a rare Friday/Sunday split series against Holy Names, with both doubleheaders starting at 12:00 PM at Laney College.