Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Photo Gallery (images by Genna Allen)

Brisbane, CA – It was a similar story for Academy of Art University Softball on both sides of its Pacific West Conference doubleheader against Hawaii Pacific out at Mission Blue Field Thursday afternoon. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of game one, ART U saw the Sea Warriors score 10 runs in the final frame to come back and take a 12-3 victory. Then, up 9-1 after three innings of game two, the Urban Knights were again stifled by two late HPU rallies en route to the 18-9 final. Three Academy of Art players each had three hits in what was the team's season-high hit total (18) for game two.

“When we decide to compete, we are capable of great things,” co-head coach Strinz said. “Now we just need to finish games."

Senior Kimberly Dauer (6-15) was on a roll in game one from the very first pitch she threw. Striking out all three of the batters she faced in the opening inning, Dauer ended up fanning four of the first five Sea Warriors who stepped into the box and into the second inning she was already working with a 3-0 lead.

The Urban Knights (13-30, 9-17 PacWest) went to work early against HPU starter Alysia Maddison (6-3) as sophomore Haily MacDonald singled her way on and was quickly standing on third after a wild pitch and stolen base. After junior Elyse Cordova walked, she worked in tandem with MacDonald to execute the double steal to get ART U on the scoreboard. Later in the inning, sophomore Taylor Thurman hit a RBI single and freshman Elise Oldham provided a RBI groundout for the early margin.

A triple for Hawaii Pacific in the second eventually made it a 3-1 game, but from there, several zeroes ensued as both Dauer and Maddison got into their respective rhythms. No batter got into scoring position until the fifth and yet even then, Dauer finished the inning with her sixth strikeout of the day. HPU crept closer in the sixth thanks to a pair of doubles and, although the first out was made early in the seventh, that last chance for the Sea Warriors turned into a nightmare for ART U.

Hawaii Pacific scored 10 runs on seven hits in the inning, forcing Dauer from the game temporarily though she later returned to get the remaining outs. When the dust had settled, HPU led 12-3 and the visitors managed to come away unscathed after a leadoff walk to freshman Jessica Marin in the bottom of the seventh for the game one win.


Eager to put the events of the final inning of the opener behind them, Academy of Art made its move early in the second contest once again. MacDonald led off with a single, was sacrificed to second by Cordova and junior Lauren Stover then whapped a RBI double to right center. The Knights 1-0 lead lasted briefly as Hawaii Pacific equalized with a RBI single from Celina Garces in the top of the second, but the bottom half of that inning saw the ART U offense simply explode.

Starting with consecutive singles by Marin, redshirt sophomore Jasmine Dickenson, and senior Andrea Hanchey, the Urban Knights loaded up the bases for MacDonald who promptly doubled to left and scored two. After Hanchey scored on an error, Thurman drove in one on a single then two more came in thanks to a pair of overthrows on the ensuing play.

ART U's 7-1 lead became 9-1 in the third inning when Dickenson and Hanchey opened with singles, were eventually replaced by MacDonald and freshman Andrea Gill on fielder's choices, then Stover came up with the bases loaded and delivered a two-run single up the middle. Those two runs were matched by Hawaii Pacific in the fourth, but in the fifth, the momentum swung more drastically as HPU plated 10 runs on seven hits and three errors to go ahead 13-9.

Though the game eventually turned into a win for the Sea Warriors, Academy of Art continued to post hits against Maddison, loading the bases in both the fifth and sixth innings. Three consecutive singles by Hanchey, Andrea Gill, and MacDonald set things up in the sixth, but a flyout kept it at a 13-9 game. After HPU rallied again in the seventh, Thurman and Oldham opened the bottom half with the two singles that gave ART U its new season-high of 18 hits.

“I know it's cliché, but hitting is contagious!” co-head coach Sami Strinz said. “It's nice to see that all of our starters were able to get in on the action by contributing offensively. Putting up 18 hits in a game is something positive that we can draw on from today as we move forward.”

Every Urban Knight starter made contributions to the offense in game two as Stover was 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, MacDonald went 3-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored, and Hanchey offered a 3-for-4 performance with one run scored. Thurman was 2-for-5 with a RBI, Marin added a 2-for-5 contest with a run scored, and Dickenson went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Cordova was 1-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored, Andrea Gill offered a 1-for-3 day also with a run scored, and Oldham was 1-for-4.

“All we care about seeing these next six games is our girls competing,” Coach Strinz said. “We want to keep it as simple as possible. Compete! Compete! Compete!”

Hawaii Pacific had its biggest offensive day from Garces who went 6-for-8 with five RBIs and two runs scored in the twinbill. The Sea Warriors, 25-16 overall and 14-10 in PacWest play, saw ART U force close to 200 pitches from Maddison in the two games and pick up victories on both occasions. She pitched all but 1.1 of the 14.0 innings on the day, collectively allowing six runs on 16 hits with five walks and three strikeouts.

The Urban Knights return to their home park of Mission Blue Field this Saturday, Apr. 20 for a special “Smoke Your Competition” event promoting drug awareness. Fans who sign up for the 1:00 PM FAN BUS will receive a special t-shirt and be able to take in a seminar put on by the San Mateo Police Department. SIGN UP HERE!