BRISBANE, Calif. – On a blazing Sunday out at Mission Blue Field, Academy of Art University softball could not cool off a hot Dixie State team, falling 9-0 and 7-1 in the Pacific West Conference matchup. The Urban Knights stayed close early in game one, but a six-run fifth inning ended up triggering the run-rule. Then, ART U scored first to open the day's finale, but another high-scoring fifth shifted the momentum to the Trailblazers.
GAME ONEThree runs on three hits in the two innings put Dixie State and starter Aryn Feickert (18-4) ahead 3-0 to start the doubleheader. Feickert was coming off her second no-hitter of the season one day prior at Holy Names, but senior
Elise Oldham ended her bid for a third in the second when she singled through the left side.
Oldham then showed her defensive prowess with her second runner caught stealing in the third, tying her with Jayme Stewart for the program's career lead (27). Feickert and the Trailblazer defense would not budge the rest of the way as seven consecutive Knights were retired before a six-run rally in the fifth. DSU would go on to win game one 9-0.
GAME TWO
After junior
Hunter Allen (2-6) and the Academy of Art defense retired the side in the opening inning, ART U gained a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first. Infield singles by junior outfielder
Jessica West and sophomore infielder
Samantha Klune set the stage for a dramatic sequence. For the second time this season, West pulled off a steal of home plate on a double steal attempt with Klune threatening then getting back to first as her teammate came in.
The Trailblazers would put two in scoring position in the second, but Allen won a nine-pitch battle by striking out the final batter of the inning. DSU broke through in the third, however, scoring the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded walk. The visitors' 2-1 lead grew in the fifth when five more runs came in on five hits and Dixie State wound up finishing the sweep with a 7-1 victory.
Academy of Art finishes the week with a 15-28-1 overall record (11-13 PacWest). West finished game two 1-for-3 with a run scored and her sixth stolen base of the year. Oldham and Klune went 1-for-2 in game one and two respectively. Sophomore
Brenna Mitchell (10-10) took the loss in the opener despite allowing two earned runs in 4.0 innings.
Dixie State remains just behind Concordia in the PacWest standings, having ended the day with a 20-6 conference record (32-10 overall). Shelby Yung stood out with a 4-for-7 day that included three runs batted in. Feickert picked up the win in the opener, tossing a one-hit shutout in 4.0 innings with two strikeouts before Brooklyn Beardshear (10-4) went a complete 7.0 innings while allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts.
ART U's 10-game homestand will conclude next weekend with a two-day, four-game series hosting No. 9 California Baptist. Noon doubleheaders will take place Friday, Apr. 22 and Saturday, Apr. 23 with the latter including a post-game Senior Day ceremony to honor
Andrea Gill and
Elise Oldham.
