BRISBANE, Calif. – Hosting one of the hottest teams in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference on Friday, Academy of Art University softball hung tough, but could not recover from late three-run rallies in each contest that shifted the momentum toward Central Washington. The Urban Knights were within striking distance behind sophomore Brenna Mitchell (1-2) in the opener, however, an error and double in the fifth inning contributed to what would be a 4-0 win. Then in game two, junior Alexa Peters (0-1) kept ART U close once again and two runs in the sixth tied things up only CWU had the answer one more time in the seventh for the 5-2 victory.

GAME ONE
The day began with Central Washington going up 1-0 in the first inning after a leadoff single and two wild pitches, but Academy of Art came back to threaten in the third against CWU starter Kiara Clark (4-0). Junior outfielder Hallie Curtis and freshman infielder Juliana Lopez connected on back-to-back singles, but the margin remained a single run until the fifth inning.

Mitchell had retired 12 of her previous 15 batters before two singles and an error brought in two CWU runs in the fifth. The Wildcats' cleanup hitter Austin Wilkerson then doubled home one more and the visitors' 4-0 advantage held up the rest of the way. Mitchell allowed just three earned runs in her 5.0 innings of work after which Hunter Allen (0-1) provided two scoreless relief innings.

GAME TWO
Peters worked her way out of a leadoff double in the second inning and effectively denied Central Washington that clutch hit through the first three innings. Similarly to the first game, the bottom of the third inning saw Lopez and junior outfielder Jessica West set the table with singles only to be stranded despite freshman utility Katie Tablada's lineout.

The Wildcats struck for two in the fourth on a run-scoring single and a sacrifice fly yet Peters then retired eight of the next nine batters she faced while her team executed a comeback in the sixth inning. Senior catcher Elise Oldham singled to put two on with two out and freshman infielder Brenna Youngquist delivered a single to right that got one home. ART U then benefitted from a mistake in a rundown and had the score tied 2-2 heading into the seventh.

It was the top of the CWU order that went to work quickly as a Taylor Ferleman RBI triple and Wilkerson's sacrifice fly contributed to a three-run rally that put the Wildcats up 5-2. Academy of Art would not go without a fight and singles by Curtis, senior outfielder Andrea Gill, and Mitchell loaded the bases, bringing up the go-ahead run with just one out. However, Central Washington one final time got the outs it needed to hold on for the victory.

Now 1-4-1 overall this season, Academy of Art had Curtis and Lopez register hits in each game, collectively going 5-for-9 on the day. Youngquist notched her team-high third RBI in the second contest.

Central Washington improves to 6-1 overall and had five different Wildcats record RBIs in game two. Wood picked up both wins, throwing 8.1 scoreless innings with six hits allowed and six strikeouts.

ART U continues its string of six games in three days with another noon doubleheader out at Mission Blue Field tomorrow. The Urban Knights host Northwest Nazarene from Idaho.