FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific baseball team won both ends of a doubleheader on Friday, defeating Academy of Art 7-0 in the opener before taking the nightcap by a final of 5-1. The Sunbirds lead the series 3-0 and will look for their first sweep of 2020 on Saturday afternoon.  
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUPS: 

• Game 1: FPU 7, ART U 0 
• Game 2: FPU 5, ART U 1
• Records: FPU (10-7), ART U (4-11)
• Location: FPU Diamond | Fresno, Calif.   
• All-Time Series: FPU leads 29-6

 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 
Game 1 

• Brian Hefner singled up the middle to start the home fourth, and he came around to score the first run of the day two batters later with some help from an ART U fielding blunder.
• Nick Dodd lifted his first career homer over the wall in left in the fifth to put the Sunbirds in front 2-0, and the FPU offense went right back to work the following inning.
• The Sunbirds sent seven batters to the plate in the home sixth, with Garrett Cooper driving in a run with a double and Dodd singling home two more to push the lead to 5-0. 
• Jack Foote came in to score on a Hefner single in the seventh, and pinch hitter Trent Greene crossed the plate on an RBI single off the bat of Andrue Lackey for the final run of the game. 

 
Game 2

• An error allowed ART U leadoff man Dominic Chavarria to reach base to start the nigthcap, and he came in to score the Urban Knights' first run of the series on a sac fly.
• Cooper hit a two-out double to left-center in the bottom of the second, and designated hitter Bodie Vegely followed with a towering shot to right-center to put the Sunbirds in front 2-1. 
• The middle innings again proved to be big for the Blue and Orange, as Cooper, Vegely and Hefner each produced an RBI in the fourth to give the home nine a 5-1 lead. 

 
STATS FROM THE DAY: 

• Starter Justin Fuson picked up the win for the 'Birds in the opener after going eight strong innings, allowing just one hit and picking up eight strikeouts.
• Left-hander Jon Ostroff overcame a pair of soft hits in the ninth to finish off the first game.
• Dodd finished the day with three hits and three RBI, while Cooper turned in a 3-for-3 performance in the back end of the doubleheader.
• Matt Stearns followed Fuson's dominant start with one of his own, going the distance and picking up eight strikeouts to earn his second win of the year.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE: 

• Dodd and Lackey each have six multi-hit games so far this season, while Foote extended his hitting streak to seven games. 
• Ostroff has yet to surrender a run in three appearances out of the Sunbird bullpen.
• Fuson and Stearns have now combined for 61 strikeouts in 55.1 innings of work. 

 
SOCIAL:

• Twitter - @fpusunbirds
• Instagram - @fpusunbirds 
• Facebook - /FPUathletics

 
ON DECK: 

• The Sunbirds will look to finish off the series sweep on Saturday at FPU Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m., with Cooper likely getting the start on the mound.