FRESNO, Calif.  – The Fresno Pacific University baseball team opened a four-game PacWest Conference series on Thursday evening, defeating Academy of Art 12-3 at FPU Diamond. The Sunbirds seem to have hit their stride offensively, as they have now totaled 40 base hits and 33 runs en route to winning their last three games. 

"It feels like we've been on the road all season, and it was nice to be home. The team we played tonight has picked up some really big wins this year, and they still improving," head coach Oscar Hirschkorn said. "We locked in and took good at-bat after good at-bat. We took good approaches all night. Our guys have really found a belief in themselves over the last few weeks."

FPU gave the ball to Trent Ashford to open the series, and the righthander pitched his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning before his offense got on the board first in the home half. Ashford finished his night with seven innings of work, allowing three runs while scattering six base hits and picking up three strikeouts.

"Trent is pitching through some things, and he's made some adjustments mechanically. He struggled in the beginning, but he ended up giving us exactly what we needed," Hirschkorn said. "That sets our pitching staff up for the rest of the series. I was very proud of the way he pitched tonight."

Zach Fleeman and Carson Schellenberg each tossed a scoreless frame out of the FPU bullpen, with each recording a pair of strikeouts along the way.

The home nine never looked uncomfortable, as the Sunbirds were able to score in seven different innings, with ten different players tallying a base hit. In all, FPU belted out a season-high 18 hits, marking the 15th game this spring with ten or more.

Offensively, the top third of the order (Michael Warkentin, Eddie Sievers, Baron Bower) combined for 10 hits, three RBI, and seven runs in Thursday's victory. Bower contributed FPU's second four-hit game of the season, while catcher Braden Frankfort was credited four runs batted in.

Academy of Art starter Brett Bovee entered Thursday with a 2.58 earned run average and had held opponents to just a .244 average, but that changed after being tagged for 10 earned runs on 17 base hits over seven innings. Mason Verhees tossed the final frame for the Urban Knights, allowing a run in his lone inning on the hill.

Kyle McGraw gave the visiting Urban Knights a 2-for-4 effort from the top of the order, while rightfielder Evan Ray picked up both of his RBI with a fourth-inning home run to left-center.

Fresno Pacific and Academy of Art return to action tomorrow, when they will play Games 2 and 3 of the series. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2:00 p.m. from FPU Diamond.

"It's still one game at a time, but the reality is that we have to win as many games as possible the rest of the way to have a shot at the postseason," Hirschkorn said. "Today was a good win, but now we have to get back to work tomorrow."