FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific baseball team rallied in the eighth inning on Monday night, defeating Academy of Art 3-2 at FPU Diamond. The Sunbirds have now won four straight PacWest Conference series openers, and three of those have come by one run. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
Final: FPU 3, ARTU 2
Records: FPU (18-25, 14-15 PacWest), ARTU (17-26, 6-22 PacWest)
Location: FPU Diamond | Fresno, Calif.
Series: FPU leads 23-6
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Michael Warkentin got the Sunbirds on the board with a line drive that turned into a sac fly in the second inning, plating Ross Dodds from third base.    
• An error and a double helped the Urban Knights tie the game in the sixth, but Garrett Cooper came up firing in left field to nab the go-ahead run at the plate on a textbook throw. 
• ARTU designated hitter Zak May narrowly beat a throw to the plate to put ARTU in front 2-1 in the top of the eighth.   
• Jared Aguilar opened the home half with an infield single, and Jarrett Anton came on as a pinch runner at first base.   
• Following Matt McGrady's sac bunt, Ross Dodds and Trent Greene were both hit by a pitch to load the bases with just one out.   
• Two batters later, Warkentin beat out an infield single to plate the tying run, but the Sunbirds were aggressive and waved Dodds home for the winning run. An errant throw allowed Dodds to score easily, and the Urban Knights were retired in order in the ninth.  
 
STATS FROM THE DAY
• Right hander Nic Boatman went the distance for the Sunbirds, striking out seven Urban Knights without allowing an earned run in his second complete game of the year.  
• The top three in the Sunbird order – Warkentin, Nick Dodd and Tristen Alvarez – each picked up three hits for the Blue and Orange, with Dodd, Brian Hefner and Adam Aleman each picking up an extra base hit. 
• ARTU starting pitcher Ben Kaser allowed just one earned run in his seven innings of work but forced to settle for the no decision.
• Reliever Gonzo Rios took the loss for the Urban Knights and is now tied for the team lead in both wins and losses on the year.  
 
BEYOND THE BOX:
• Alvarez and Warkentin continue to battle one another for the team lead in batting average, and they enter play on Friday within two points of one another.    
• Boatman lowered his season ERA nearly half a point on Monday evening, and his likely to finish the season as FPU's leader in strikeouts.
• Aguilar has now reached base in 13 straight games. The only longer streak this season for the Sunbirds has come from Dodds, who previously reached in 15 straight.
 
SOCIAL:
• Twitter - @fpusunbirds
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUathletics
 
UP NEXT:
• The Sunbirds and Urban Knights are back it on Tuesday, when they are set for a doubleheader at FPU Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.