OAKLAND, Calif. – On a rainy Saturday morning, the Urban Knights looked to even the series after a 1-0 loss to Concordia on Friday night. After runs came at a premium the night before, offense was aplenty in game one's 6-4 loss. The Knights responded in the next contest however, taking game three by a score of 4-3.
 
GAME ONE:
 
Both sides battled back-and-forth in the first game of Saturday's twinbill. After the Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the second, ART U responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame. The runs came courtesy of junior infielder Michael Maleski who's single to left drove in two.
 
Concordia made it a 3-2 ballgame in the third, but Academy of Art tied things up again two innings later when junior outfielder Izac Bauer knocked in junior infielder Taylor Martin with a single to center field.
 
The Eagles put the game out of reach in the sixth when they tacked on three runs to their total to give them a 6-3 advantage. Despite responding with a run of their own in the sixth, the Urban Knights fell by a final total of 6-4.
 
GAME TWO:
 
In Saturday's second contest, ART U decided to get their work out of the way early with a three-run frame to open the ballgame. The inning was highlighted by runs batted in from Bauer and junior outfielder Evan Ray. Bauer's hit was particularly impressive as his bases-loaded drive went for extra bases. Ray came up to bat next and his RBI groundout put an exclamation mark on the inning.
 
From there, junior right hander Luke Lacy went to work in his fourth start of the season. The Valencia, Calif. native worked efficiently, allowing just one run throughout his first six innings of work.
 
Meanwhile, ART U added on a fourth run to maintain their three-run lead in the bottom of the second when senior outfielder Alex Fernandez's sacrifice fly drove in sophomore infielder Robert "Gio" Villanueva.
 
As the game entered the seventh, it seemed as if Academy of Art was going to cruise to 4-1 victory. However, Concordia would not go down without a fight: after recording the first out of the inning on four pitches, Lacy surrendered three-consecutive hits (two for extra bases) that drove him from the game. Senior left hander Alexander Kuisel was called upon to face just one batter who he retired on two pitches. Then, junior right Sal Johnson was given the nod to try to record the final out of the ballgame. With the tying run on third, Johnson was able to coax a deep fly ball to center, but Fernandez was able to track it down and seal the win.
 
The Urban Knights will look to split the series with a win on Sunday in the fourth and final game against Concordia.