OAKLAND, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific baseball team split the first conference doubleheader of the season on Saturday, defeating Academy of Art 8-2 in the opener before falling 3-2 in the series finale. The Sunbirds pick up their second consecutive series victory after taking the first three games from the Urban Knights. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Game 1: FPU 8, ARTU 2 | Game 2: ARTU 3, FPU 2 (7 innings)
Records: FPU (6-4, 3-1 PacWest), ARTU (6-7, 1-3 PacWest)
Location: Laney College Field | Oakland, Calif.   
All-Time Series: FPU leads 23-6
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GAME 1:  
• Derek Arkelian tripled home a run in the top of the second to open the scoring, but the Urban Knights got the run back after designated hitter Evan Ray trotted home on a wild pitch in the bottom half.
• Ross Dodds and Nate Case each picked up an RBI in the third, putting the Sunbirds back in front by a margin of 3-1.
• FPU first baseman Hunter Villanueva smacked a solo shot over the wall in left to open the fifth, but ARTU again answered with a run.
• Villanueva struck again in the seventh, launching his sixth dinger of the year to provide some insurance runs for starter Nic Boatman.
• The Sunbird offense used the whole field in the eighth, with Eddie Sievers going to left for his fifth RBI of the series and Ross Dodds followed with a liner to right.
• Following the leads of Esteban Lizaola and Alex Garcia in the first two games of the series, Boatman turned in eight strong innings, scattering just four base hits while fanning nine Urban Knights.  
• Left hander Tyler Rumbaugh delivered a perfect ninth inning on the hill, picking up a strikeout while retiring the side in order.
• Alex Fernandez took the loss for Academy of Art after surrendering four earned runs on ten base hits through the first five innings.
• Chris Rost was the first man out of the Urban Knight bullpen but provided little relief, allowing another four runs over the next three innings. Chris Petrosie took over and needed just 11 pitches to put the Sunbirds down in order in the final chapter.  
• FPU totaled a season-high 17 base hits, highlighted by Villanueva's four-hit afternoon and a 3-for-5 effort from Arkelian.
 
GAME 2:
• Braden Frankfort was hit by a pitch with two away in the first inning and came around to score the first run of the game on a Dodds' hit to center.
• The Urban Knights mustered two in the home half after RBI hits from Robert Villanueva and Taj Dawson.
• Shortstop Tristen Alvarez found the grass in right field in the top of the fifth, plating Bryan Honley from third to tie the game at 2-2.
• Villanueva came up clutch again for the Urban Knights in the sixth, singling to left to plate the go-ahead run.
• Right hander Josue Mendivil made his season debut on the mound, allowing two earned runs and striking out three over 5.1 innings of work. Jonathan Molina picked up the final two outs of the game out of the Sunbird pen.   
• Angel Mora picked up the lone win of the series for ARTU after tossing all seven innings and allowing just three Sunbird hits.
 
ON DECK:
• FPU hits the road for a three-game series against nationally-ranked Colorado Mesa at historic Sam Suplizio field in Grand Junction. The series opens with a doubleheader on Sunday, March 4 and wraps up with a single game the following afternoon.