Beaumont, Calif. -- The Academy of Art traveled to Southern California for a two-day, five-game tournament hosted by Cal State San Bernardino. The Urban Knights started the first day of the tournament with three back-to-back games on Saturday.
They started off strong with a 1-0 win in their first game against Adams State. However, the Academy of Art came up short in their next two games, falling to Colorado School of Mines 9-0 and Regis 2-1.
Box Score #1
After a rain delay from Friday night, the Academy of Art managed to get their three games in on Saturday afternoon. The Urban Knights came out ready to play and eager to continue their winning streak from earlier in the week. They faced Adams State in the first game.
The Academy of Art kept the Grizzlies off balance and held them scoreless the entire game.
A great pitching performance by Academy of Art junior Ericka Ames was responsible for the quiet Grizzly offense. She stepped up for her team, pitching a complete game shutout. Ames gave up only four hits and one walk, while managing four strikeouts in seven innings.
Adams State kept the Urban Knights' bats quiet at the beginning of the game. They finally put a run on the board in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore Carissa Nichole Perales was able to score from second on an infield error. The one unearned run for the Urban Knights proved to be the gamewinner, as they won 1-0.
Urban Knight freshman Jacqueline Nieves and Shelby LaFond went 1-2 during the game, while Perales went 1-3 with a run scored.
Adams State pitcher Courtney Davis pitched all seven innings for her team. She also went 2-for-3 and was responsible for two of her team's four hits.
Ames' record improves to 2-2 with the win against Adams State.
Box Score #2
The Urban Knights had a slow start in the second game and Colorado School of Mines quickly took advantage of it. The Orediggers attacked first, putting two runs on the board in the second inning. The Orediggers seemed to be too much for the Academy of Art University's defense, as errors proved costly in their second game.
With the Orediggers offense attacking the Urban Knight pitching, the Academy of Art needed to get something going with its own bats. Despite getting the lead-off batter on base in the first three innings, they failed to string any hits together and score a run. The Orediggers ran away with the game soon after their 2-0 lead in the second inning. The game was called in the fifth inning due to the mercy rule, and the Orediggers leading 9-0.
Freshman Sierrah Garcia was in the pitching circle for the Academy of Art. She threw all five innings for the Urban Knights, giving up eleven hits, nine runs (four of them earned) and one walk. She managed only one strikeout in the game. Despite a rough outing for the freshman, the Urban Knight defense did not help, as they had five errors in the game, which cost the team five runs.
Academy of Art University freshman Jayme Stewart had a good offensive game going 2-2. Her teammate Shampayne Clay also went 2-2 in the game. The Urban Knights managed five hits against the Orediggers and left three runners on base.
Colorado School of Mines players Katie Kocman, Jennifer Newman, and Sarah Lustgraaf each went 2-3 during the game. They combined for RBI's and four runs scored. The Orediggers left six runners on base.
With the loss, Sierrah Garcia's record falls to 1-4 on the season.
Box Score #3
The Academy of Art played its final game of the night against Regis. After a less than memorable showing in their previous game, the Urban Knights were eager to finish the day with a win. They came out with more intensity and were able to score first, hoping to take control of the game. But even with another strong pitching performance the Urban Knights couldn't hold onto the lead.
The Urban Knights were held scoreless for the first inning. In the top of the second, they were able to manufacture a run. Freshman Crista Sykes led off the inning with a walk. Ashley Petty came in to pinch run for Sykes. After advancing to second from Melissa Coe's walk, Petty then stole third. With one out, pitcher Ericka Ames grounded out to the shortstop, scoring Petty from third. This one run lead quickly proved to not be enough to hold the Regis offense.
Regis answered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the second inning. The Urban Knights had bases loaded with no outs in the top of the fifth inning, but were unable to capitalize. With that being their last opportunity with runners in scoring position, the Academy of Art University were unable to score any more runs, and fell to Regis 2-1.
Ericka Ames was on the mound again for the Urban Knights. She pitched a good game for her team, giving up six hits, two runs, five walks and had seven strikeouts in six innings.
The Urban Knight batters had a slow night for their pitchers. They had no hits and stranded seven runners on base. Freshman Ashley Petty scored the only run for her team, and junior Ericka Ames had the sole RBI in the game.
Regis' Maegan Cooley went 1-for-1 while her teammate Bianca Holley went 1-for-2. They each had a run in the game.
With the loss, Ericka Ames' record falls to 2-3 on the season, while the Urban Knights drop to 3-7 overall. They finish the tournament with two games on Sunday, February 15. Game times are set for 9:00 a.m. against Adams State, and 11:20 a.m. against Colorado School of Mines.
