FRENSO, Calif. – The Fresno Pacific baseball team took both games in the doubleheader against Academy of Art on Friday, winning game one 6-4 behind two home runs from Donte Valdez, followed by a 2-0 win in game two to take a 2-1 series lead.
 
QUOTABLE
 
"They showed a lot of character. Last night was a tough loss, and I think a weaker-character team maybe lets that affect them the next day, but these guys don't do that. Now it's a matter of taking good at-bats tomorrow and playing catch." – head coach Oscar Hirschkorn
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Urban Knights were able to strike first in the first inning, scoring two runs.
• The Sunbirds answered in the bottom half of the first starting with a one-out single from Tommy Rover.
• With two outs in the inning, D. Valdez hit an opposite-field, two-run home run over the right-field fence to tie the game, the first home run hit at FPU Diamond in 2022.
• After three scoreless frames, Art U was able to jump back out to a two-run lead when they scored twice in the top of the fifth.
• Jaylen Rodriguez came on in relief of Jared Aguilar in the sixth inning and was able to hold the Urban Knights scoreless in his first inning on the mound.
• The sixth inning was a big one for FPU, and it started with a leadoff double from Cole Yoshida.
• That was followed by a single from Khalid Johnson, which moved Yoshida to third, and with one out, Johnson stole second base and Andrew Valdez drew a walk to load the bases.
• On the first pitch he saw, D. Valdez mashed one over the deepest part of the park for a grand slam, putting the Sunbirds on top 6-4.
• Rodriguez was able to stifle the Art U offense in the final three innings and earn the win for the Sunbirds.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME

• D. Valdez had a monster day at the plate, bringing in six runs and hitting two bombs, including a grand slam.
• Rodriguez tossed four innings of relief, striking out three batters and earning the win.
• Aguilar had six strikeouts in five innings in the start.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The final game of the doubleheader was a pitcher's dual, and Art U was able to get runners on base, but Michael Barker never allowed them to get into a rhythm.
• The Sunbirds were finally able to break the stalemate in the fourth inning after A. Valdez led things off with a hit by pitch.
• Aguilar hit a one-out double to right-center field, and an error allowed A. Valdez to score from first and Aguilar to advance to third.
• After Barker sat the Urban Knights down in order in the top of the fifth, FPU was able to work some two-out magic in the bottom half to extend its lead to 2-0.
• With two outs, Johnson was able to single to left field, and he moved to second after Rover matched him with a single of his own.
• Rover and Johnson were able to swipe second and third, and Johnson was able to cross the plate on a wild pitch that didn't even leave the dirt surrounding home plate.
• In the top of the seventh, Art U drew a leadoff walk from Barker, and he was replaced by Matt Stearns with no outs.
• On Stearns's first pitch, he forced Art U into a 6-4-3 double play and then struck out the final batter to get the save and give the Sunbirds the win.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME

• Barker had five strikeouts in six innings of work and took the win on the mound.
• Johnson went 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Blue and Orange will look to take the series win over Academy of Art on Saturday with a single game set to start at 12 p.m.
 
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