Game #5
ART U Urban Knights (2-2) vs. HNU Hawks (5-4)
Friday, Feb. 14, 2020 at 1 p.m.
Alameda, Calif. – College of Alameda
Live Stats and Video

Game #6
ART U Urban Knights (2-2) vs. HNU Hawks (5-4)
Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at 1 p.m.
Oakland, Calif. – Laney College
Live Stats and Video

Game #7 & 8
ART U Urban Knights (2-2) vs. HNU Hawks (5-4)
Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020 at Noon & 3 p.m.
Oakland, Calif. – Laney College
Live Stats and Video

FAMILIAR FOE
It was a series split to start the year for the Urban Knights, as they won the opening and closing games of their four-game series with Central Washington. ART U now shifts its attention to an early season non-conference series against Pacific West Conference foe Holy Names. The series will take place Friday to Sunday, with Friday's game at the College of Alameda before returning to Laney College for Saturday and Sunday.   

FIRST PITCH
First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on the two opening days of the series, Friday and Saturday, while Sunday will be a doubleheader beginning at noon and 3 p.m. 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
The offense had things clicking in this season-opening series, as the Urban Knights batted for a combined .294 average with five home runs and 33 runs scored. Senior infielder Justin Summers and sophomore catcher Ryan Gamboa were big factors in the series, with Summers launching two home runs in a wild 17-16 win in the series finale, while Gamboa was 8-for-14 (.533) with a pair of two-hit games in an opening day doubleheader split. In addition to Summers and Gamboa, junior first baseman Vincent Lontz and junior outfielder Noah Daubin each connected for a big fly in the series, both of which came in the thrilling last game. Summers tied a program-record five RBIs that day, and leads the team with eight so far in the young 2020 campaign. In a 7-4 loss in game three of the series, the Urban Knights collected three hits, two of which were doubles from Summers and senior third baseman Thomas Delgadillo. As a team, ART U launched five homers, tied for third most in the PacWest, and tallied a .422 OBP, a clip that leads the conference.
 
Earning the win on the hill for ART U in game one was junior pitcher Cannon Secrist, who tossed six innings of two-hit ball, allowing two runs while striking out nine with three walks. Senior pitcher Jayson Summers earned the save by pitching a perfect three innings, facing the minimum nine batters while striking out three. In the series finale, after hitting his home run, Daubin then took the mound to begin the seventh and earned the win, allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts and a pair of walks in three innings. 

HANGING WITH THE HAWKS
Having played nine contests so far in 2020, the Hawks come into the series with a record of 5-4, having lost three straight games after winning their previous four. HNU split a four-game series with St. Martin's, taking games one and two by scores of 9-1 and 8-7 before dropping the final two, 5-3 and 8-7. A solo loss by a 10-3 score to Cal State East Bay followed the series split. The Hawks do a good job at limiting the long ball, as they have allowed only one home run in 79.0 innings pitched. Opponents are batting just .234 against Holy Names, the lowest mark in the conference, and have recorded the most strikeouts in the PacWest with 81. Offensively, the Hawks are hitting .253 with three home runs and a .329 OBP. Robbie McIntosh leads the way at the dish, hitting .438 (14-for-32) with a 1.099 OPS in nine games played, with an eye-popping 10 walks. Joshua Nelson is the top run-producer, with 11 RBIs, one home run, and a .375 average (12-for-32) in nine games. Christopher Gann is the wins leader with a 2-0 record, as he has a 0.00 ERA in 6.2 innings pitched. Starter Jaymin Graveman is 0-0, but owns a 1.50 ERA in two starts totaling 12.0 innings pitched. 

ART U EARNS SERIES SPLIT WITH NINE-RUN COMEBACK AGAINST CWU
In windy conditions that proved to be a boost to both offenses, the Academy of Art baseball team recorded a program record 23 hits in a 17-16 victory against Central Washington at Laney College. The Urban Knights found themselves trailing the Wildcats by nine runs in the fifth inning, but proceeded to pull off one of the biggest comebacks in program history, capped off by a five-run ninth inning. Aided at times by wind that reached 30 mph, the 23 knocks by ART U beat the old record of hits (18) in a single game by five. That mark happened four times, the last coming on April 20, 2019 when they did it against Azusa Pacific.