Box Score #1
Box Score #2
Brisbane, CA – The Academy of Art University's softball team hosted Notre Dame de Namur University in a double header on Friday evening. This was the second of three match-ups between the two teams this season. After coming off a sweep against the Argos just two days ago, the Urban Knights had their work cut out for them in today's games. After a back and forth battle in game one, ART U was able to hold on to the lead for the win, taking the game with a score of 3-2. The Knights struggled defensively in the second game and the Argos took advantage. The Knights came up short in the nightcap losing with a score of 6-3.
In game one, ART U's pitching was a little rough and it quickly played a role in things. The Argos jumped on the board first by scoring once in the top of the first inning. But the Urban Knights answered right back when they scored a run of their own in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Elyse Cordova singled up the middle with one out to get things started. Freshman Lauren Stover then reached on a throwing error which advanced Cordova to third. Sophomore Andrea Hanchey then grounded out to third to score Cordova from third base.
The Urban Knights pitching quickly settled in and held the Argos' batters for a few innings. But in the top of the fifth, NDNU struck again with another run. Again, the Knights wasted little time answering back. This time it was senior Alana Aweau who was the hero in the game. With one out junior Melissa Coe singled. Then with two outs Aweau came up to the plate. She proceeded to hit a long homerun well over the center-field fence to give her team the lead.
After the Knights' new lead, the team's pitching and defense stepped up, and shut-out the Argos. At the end of the game, the Knights came away with a 3-2 victory.
Leading ART U offensively was Cordova who went 2-3 with one run. Aweau also had a great game going 1-3 with a home run, one run, and two runs batted in. Coe stood out going 1-2 with one run, and rounding things out was Hanchey who went 1-3 with one run batted in, and sophomore Jayme Stewart who went 1-3 in the game.
Junior Sierrah Garcia started in the circle for the Knights. She went 5.1 innings allowing five hits, two earned runs, and had two strikeouts. Freshman Katie Brooks came in for relief and went right to work going 1.2 innings allowing just two hits and posting two strikeouts while recording the save. Garcia received the win in the game.
For the Argos, Janae Reyes led going 2-4 with one run, and one run batted in. D. Gray went 1-2 with one run and a double, and A. Castro and R. Araujo both went 1-4. Receiving the loss was Sammy McConvey who went all six innings allowing six hits, three runs, and had six strikeouts.
The Urban Knights scored three runs on six hits, had no errors and left four runners on base.
In game two the Urban Knights struggled defensively. Acting as the visiting team per PacWest rules, the Urban Knights committed four errors in the bottom of the first inning. The Argos took advantage of the errors and posted four runs that inning. The Knights struggled to make adjustments at the plate, and for a while it looked like NDNU had control of the game.
Finally in the top of the fourth inning, the Knights got something going for themselves. Freshman Elyse Cordova led the inning off with a single, and was followed by freshman Lauren Stover reaching on a fielder's choice. Sophomore Andrea Hanchey then singled to right field to score Cordova from second. Junior Genna Allen then stepped up to the plate and singled to left field to score Stover. After the two manufactured runs, ART U had cut the Argo's lead in half and looked to make a comeback.
But Notre Dame de Namur answered back when they scored two more runs in the bottom of the inning. ART U was able to score once more in the top of the fifth, but that would be all the runs they would muster in the game. The team was never able to fully recover after their rocky first inning, and fell with a final score of 6-3.
Freshman Katie Brooks started in the circle for ART U and went 0.1 innings allowing one hit, four runs (no earned) and receives the loss in the game. Sophomore Kim Dauer then came in for relief and went 2.2 innings allowing two hits, two runs, and had one strikeout. Junior Sierrah Garcia finished the game going three innings allowing just two hits, and recording two strikeouts.
The Urban Knights were led offensively by Aweau and Cordova who both went 1-4 with one run scored. Allen and Hanchey also did well both going 1-3 with one run batted in. Freshman Lauren Clark-Lewis rounded things out going 1-2 in the game.
For NDNU, R. Araujo and R. De Alva both led going 2-3, and H. Ruddick went 1-3 with one run and two runs batted in. Receiving the win was K. Sewell who went all seven innings allowing five hits, three runs, and had three strikeouts.
The Urban Knights scored three runs on five hits, committed four errors, and left six runners on base.
After the split, the Academy of Art University's record is at 23-15 overall and 13-7 in conference, while Notre Dame de Namur University's record is at 17-24 overall, and 7-10 in conference. The Knights play next on Sunday, April 17th when they again host Notre Dame de Namur in their third and final match-up. The day will also be Art U's senior day. Game times are set for 12:00 and 2:00 pm at Mission Blue Field.
