IRVINE, Calif. – Meeting for the second consecutive series, Academy of Art baseball was able to make it back-to-back wins over Concordia after outlasting the Eagles in game one of Thursday's doubleheader for a 4-3 victory in 10 innings. However, the ART U offense was held in check during game two, as CUI was able to enact its revenge with a 9-1 win in seven innings. 

A pair of home runs on 10 hits helped the Urban Knights (15-15) twice capture the lead during the day's opening contest, but the quick responses from the Eagles (16-14) would wind up forcing extra innings. Timely hitting and base-running was what the Knights used to regain the lead in the 10th, while the pitching was spectacular throughout. Beginning with the starting performance from graduate student righty Matthew Sanchez in which he allowed just two earned runs over 9.0 innings pitched, and ending with NCBWA DII West Region and PacWest Pitcher of the Week junior right-hander Collin Carriger earning his team-leading third save of the campaign with a clean 10th inning and one strikeout. 

By collecting hits in both games, junior outfielder Ty Conrad pushed his hitting streak to nine games, currently the longest active hitting streak on the Knights, going 3-for-8 with a run and a pair of doubles. Three other Knights earned knocks at the dish in both contests, with junior first baseman Vincent Lontz going 3-for-8 with a double and two runs scored, while sophomore third baseman Adam Inouye was 2-for-6 with a double and an RBI. 

GAME ONE – ART U 4, CUI 3 (10 INNINGS)
After a bit of trouble in the first inning in which he allowed a run but worked out of a tough jam, Sanchez settled into rhythm and was able to keep the Eagles offense at bay for nearly the majority of game one. The Urban Knights offense would have his back in the top of the fourth, as Lontz would reach base with two outs on a nice single up the middle, before graduate student catcher Ryan Gamboa gave ART U the lead with one swing by launching a big fly over the right field fence. 

Starting with a run from the Eagles as a response in the home half of the fifth, the two teams would score in three consecutive half innings. For the Knights, their tally in the top of the sixth came on another homer, this one a towering shot from junior designated hitter Noah Daubin on a 1-1 pitch into right field that briefly recaptured the lead. But in the bottom of the frame, CUI received a solo homer of their own, as Jair Donovan tied the contest with a leadoff shot to right. 

Sanchez would go on to toss a full nine frames, and while it looked like he may not factor into the decision, Academy of Art was able to manufacture a run in the top of the 10th, starting with a bunt single from Conrad that hugged the third base line but refused to roll foul. A single from graduate student second baseman Justin Summers would bring him aboard and move Conrad to third, and on a mistake from the CUI pitcher on a Summers stolen base would allow Conrad to scamper home and put Sanchez in line for his fourth victory of 2021. 

Entering in relief in the bottom half of the inning for his first appearance since his 14-strikeout performance, Carriger would strike out only one while inducing a pair of ground outs for his third save of the season, tied for second most in the PacWest. Three Urban Knights notched multi-hit games, including the 10th of the campaign for Lontz. Daubin would finish 2-for-5 with the solo homer, while Gamboa was 2-for-3 with two RBI on the big fly.

GAME TWO – CUI 9, ART U 1 (7 INNINGS)
Despite the Eagles scoring just one run through the first three innings, they would explode for four runs during the home half of the fourth, including a pair of home runs during the inning. The only run for ART U in game two would come in the top of the fifth after Lontz led off with his second double of the contest, and later scored on a two-out RBI single from Inouye into left field. Another four-run inning in the home half of the sixth would be more than enough for the Eagles to clinch the win. 

Ending the game with a pair of doubles was Conrad, as he was 2-for-3 while Lontz was 1-for-3 with a double. Graduate student outfielder Andrew Shebloski would also grab himself a double in one of his three at-bats. 

This four-game series concludes from Eagles Baseball Field on Friday with first pitch times of 2 and 5:30 p.m.