In both parts of Academy of Art baseball's twin bill against No. 20 Point Loma the game's first run was scored on an ART U home run, but despite twice holding a lead in the early goings, PLNU stormed back twice to secure a Pacific West Conference doubleheader and series sweep by finals of 10-3 and 5-2.
Showing why they are one of the top-ranked teams in the nation, No. 20 Point Loma was able to keep a cap on the Academy of Art baseball offense during the first two games of their Pacific West Conference series, holding ART U to just seven hits on the day while taking both halves of the doubleheader by finals of 10-0 (eight innings) and 2-0 (seven innings).
Over the course of two innings, Academy of Art baseball scored all seven of its runs while attempting to build a comeback effort against Azusa Pacific, but APU was able to defend their home field on their Senior Day and completed a Pacific West Conference series sweep with a 10-7 victory on Saturday.
Both parts of Friday's twin bill between Academy of Art baseball and Azusa Pacific were a battle, and though it seemed ART U was going to enact revenge for a 9-3 loss (seven innings) in the first half of day, APU spoiled a seven-run inning for the Knights in game two by pouring in eight unanswered runs to walk off winners during extra innings by a 9-8 final (eight innings).
Academy of Art baseball was just two outs away from capturing a victory in the Pacific West Conference series opener against Azusa Pacific, a contest in which graduate student right-hander Cannon Secrist became the new ART U career strikeouts leader, but a ninth-inning rally by APU led them to become walk-off winners by a 4-3 final.
Back out at Cougar Softball Field to finish its first four-game Pacific West Conference series of the season, Academy of Art softball rallied for multiple runs in three different innings, but Azusa Pacific managed to emerge with both victories on Saturday.
Academy of Art baseball honored three Urban Knights for Senior Day prior to their doubleheader against Hawaii Pacific on Tuesday, but despite combining for another 19 hits across the pair of games after 21 hits yersterday, HPU was able to snatch both parts of the twin bill for a Pacific West Conference series sweep.
Though the Academy of Art bats combined for 16 runs on 21 hits during their doubleheader with Hawaii Pacific on Monday, including 13 hits in game one to tie their season-high mark, it was not enough to take down HPU as the Sharks swept the day's twin bill with an 18-12 victory in game one and a 9-4 win in game two (seven innings).
It was a triumphant way to end a Pacific West Conference series for Academy of Art baseball in Thursday's doubleheader against UH Hilo, walking off winners 4-3 in game one thanks to a two-RBI single from senior outfielder Hayato Niki before solid pitching led the way in a 4-2 game two victory, both games finishing in seven innings.
The second Academy of Art baseball no-hitter ever thrown in 15 years of program history has earned a first for ART U and sophomore left-hander Brian Kraft, as he was picked as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) National Pitcher of the Week for his performance against Concordia on April 1 in an 8-1 victory. The award is for games played from March 27-April 2.
Though the first pitch had been thrown and three innings had been played with ART U in the lead, Saturday's series opener between Academy of Art baseball and Sonoma State was paused once before being halted for the rest of the day with plans to resume tomorrow at 1 p.m.
Tough weather conditions forced what was supposed to be a series-opening doubleheader between Academy of Art baseball and Sonoma State into two days, but after a total of three rain delays, it was SSU that came out on the winning end of both games by finals of 7-6 (10 innings) and 6-4 (seven innings).
In preparation for their first series of the year, Academy of Art baseball has announced its two captains for the 2023 campaign as graduate student pitcher Cannon Secrist and redshirt junior catcher/first baseman Liam Rizzo were announced as the captains of the Urban Knights squad.
The 2023 campaign saw Academy of Art baseball hit the scoreboard early and take the year's first lead in Wednesday's season opener against Stanislaus State, but it was the Warriors who had the lead last as they took the victory despite a near ART U comeback, closing out the game with a final of 7-6.
Stepping onto the mound and into the batter's box for its first action of 2023 this week, Academy of Art baseball readies for the season ahead.