Game #13 & #14
ART U Urban Knights (8-4, 8-4 PacWest) vs. Holy Names Hawks (5-5, 3-5 PacWest)
Friday, Apr. 2, 2021 at 2 & 5:30 p.m.
Alameda, Calif. – College of Alameda
Live Stats and Video

Game #15 & #16
ART U Urban Knights (8-4, 8-4 PacWest) at Holy Names Hawks (5-5, 3-5 PacWest)
Saturday, Apr. 3, 2021 at 1 & 4 p.m.
Alameda, Calif. – College of Alameda
Live Stats and Video

HAMMERING HOLY NAMES
Pacific West Conference NorCal pod leader Academy of Art baseball has yet to lose a series through three attempts in the 2021 campaign, as the Urban Knights walked away with a series split last time out against the Sunbirds of Fresno Pacific by sweeping Friday's doubleheader prior to dropping both on Saturday. This weekend, ART U will have the chance to right the ship, as they face their other NorCal pod opponent in Holy Names. 

FIRST PITCH
This four-game set will be broken into two twin bills, all four hosted from Pat Bail Field at the College of Alameda. Friday's action will be a pair of home games for the Knights beginning at 2 and 5:30 p.m., while Saturday's road contests have first pitch times of 1 and 4 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
Redshirt junior shortstop Dominic Ruggiero has been on a tear to start the 2021 campaign, having collected hits in nine consecutive games while having reached base safely in all 12 games this season. Eight times he has posted a multi-hit game (most on ART U); his .404 batting average is tops on the Urban Knights of those who qualify (third in PacWest), and he also has team-highs in hits (19), runs (14), and OPS (among those who qualify; 1.036). Of all Urban Knights, an astounding nine players are batting over .300, with only Ruggiero and junior catcher Austin LaBarber (.429 in just seven games) above the .400 mark. The 14 RBI and two home runs from junior outfielder Ty Conrad are the best on the team (tied for third in PacWest), as the right fielder has posted a team-leading five multi-RBI games. In the doubles category, it's Ruggiero and junior first baseman Vincent Lontz at the top of the list with five apiece. 

From the hill, the lowest ERA on the team and second-lowest in the PacWest (0.64) belongs to junior right-hander Cannon Secrist, as the righty is 1-0 in two starts with just three runs allowed, only one of them earned, on the season. Starting the first game of every series thus far has been graduate student righty Matthew Sanchez, tossing a team-high 21.0 innings so far this season with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Sanchez, along with fellow graduate student right-hander Jayson Summers and junior righty Ryan Skillman have all posted two wins this year, with Sanchez and Skillman having not been charged with a loss yet this year. Summers leads the way in the strikeout department, as his electric stuff has led to back-to-back games with nine strikeouts, a career-high for the righty. He also has a complete game on the record in 2021, lasting 7.0 innings in a winning effort on Mar. 25 against Fresno Pacific. 
 
PICKING OFF THE HAWKS
The Hawks enter the game with a .500 record at 5-5, but are thus far only 3-5 in the PacWest NorCal pod. Overall, HNU has lost two in a row and four of their last six, splitting a four-game series with Fresno Pacific after dropping both parts of a doubleheader against ART U to open PacWest play. Morgan McIntosh enters the series as the top hitter for Holy Names, having posted team-highs in hits (12), runs (10), doubles (4), and total bases (19). From the mound, Noah Barros is 2-0 with just a 1.13 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in 16.0 innings pitched, with the ERA and WHIP being team-highs. His 22 strikeouts are second only to teammate Ricardo Hernandez Jr., with Hernandez Jr. also posting a 2.11 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. ART U leads the all-time series against HNU, 26-18. 

SUNBIRDS TAKE BOTH AGAINST KNIGHTS TO END SERIES
The offense from Fresno Pacific was too much for Academy of Art baseball on Saturday, as ART U was topped 11-3 in game one before dropping the shortened second game 7-1. While the Pacific West Conference doubleheader loss snapped a four-game winning streak, ART U still earned a series split after winning the opening two games of the series. 

ON DECK CIRCLE
The third matchup of the season against Fresno Pacific awaits the Urban Knights after the conclusion of this next series. In 2021, ART U has gotten the better of the Sunbirds by having won five of the eight contests played thus far, but it was FPU that has had the most recent laugh. A four-game series will be broken into two parts, with FPU hosting on Thursday, Apr. 12 before the Knights return the favor on Saturday, Apr. 17.