OAKLAND, Calif. – Riding on the back of an impressive outing by junior right hander Chris Petrosie, Academy of Art baseball cruised to a 7-4 victory in game one of Sunday's double header. The win was the Miami native's first in an ART U uniform. In game two, the Urban Knights held the lead early after a two-run first inning, but the Wildcats could not be contained. CWU rallied from behind, posting a 4-3 outcome and taking the series three games to one.
 
GAME ONE:
 
Central Washington quickly gained the advantage in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead off of three hits in the opening frame. Junior Chris Petrosie quickly settled down from there, shutting down the Wildcats in each of the next three innings without allowing a hit and only surrendering one baserunner.
 
Meanwhile, ART U tied things up in the bottom of the second, curtesy of junior Izac Bauer who laced a double to right center to drive in junior outfielder Jackson Murphy. The Urban Knights added on to their lead in the following inning when senior infielder Erick Luna knocked in junior outfielder Alex Fernandez from third with a groundout to the shortstop.
 
CWU tied the game with a run in the fifth, but ART U quickly responded with five runs in the seventh. With five hits in the frame, four Knights recorded runs batted in including two from junior infielder Taylor Martin who singled up the middle with runners on second and third.
 
Academy of Art took a five-run lead into the final two innings, but the Wildcats did not go down quietly. CWU scored singles runs in both the eighth and ninth innings to finish the game trailing 7-4.
 
Petrosie nearly recorded his first complete game, tossing 8.2 innings, allowing four runs (earned) on 11 hits with three strikeouts and one walk.  With the tying run on deck, senior Alexander Kuisel came on in relief and only needed one pitch to record the save, his first of the year. Martin was the only Urban Knight to record multiple hits, going 3-for-4 with two runs batted in and a run. Luna (1-for-3) also drove in two.
 
GAME TWO:
 
Looking to take two on the day and split the series, Academy of Art quickly jumped out in front in the first inning. The Urban Knights scored two by way of a wild pitch and walk with the bases loaded. Junior Luke Lacy, making his third start of the season, looked dominant in the first two innings and only needed six pitches to sit down CWU in order in the top of the first.
 
The Wildcats were able to get on the board in the third however, scoring four runs in the frame. This was the only inning that Central Washington was able to score, but it proved to be enough as ART U was unable to overcome the deficit. They refused to go down quietly however, cutting the lead to just one run in the fourth inning. With two out in the bottom of the fourth, junior outfielder Jackson Murphy hit a home run to left center. The long ball was his first of the year and the team's third overall.
 
Kuisel also made an appearance in game two, tossing 3.0 innings in relief of Lacy. The Chula Vista, Calif. native did not allow a run and only surrendered two hits.
 
Academy of Art moves to 3-9 on the season and will look to seek revenge on Tuesday, February 28 when they head to Rohnert Park to face Sonoma State. The Seawolves defeated ART U 5-2 on February 14.