BRISBANE, Calif. – Academy of Art University softball set a new program single-game record with four home runs en route to an 8-7 win No. 16 California Baptist on Thursday out at Mission Blue Field. The opening game saw CBU rally with two big innings for a 14-4 win. Then, in what felt like a Pacific West Conference home run derby, the teams combined for seven homers in game two including one from senior catcher Elise Oldham, one off freshman infielder Brenna Youngquist's bat, and two by junior outfielder Jessica West. ART U would hold off a Lancer comeback in the final inning to triumph 8-7.

GAME ONE
Academy of Art started the day in strong fashion as sophomore pitcher Brenna Mitchell (11-11) struck out the first two batters she faced, CBU's hottest hitters, and the Knights then put two runners in scoring position in the bottom half of the inning. However, the Lancers avoided giving up any runs and instead plated six in the second for a significant swing in momentum.

In the third, ART U would break through for its first run of the game on a delayed double play groundout that allowed West to score. The PacWest-leading California Baptist offense rallied for seven runs in the fourth, another in the fifth, and led 14-1 with the Knights' final chance coming in the bottom of the fifth. Academy of Art would not go without a fight with Mitchell crushing a three-run homer before ART U surrendered the 14-4 final.

GAME TWO
The Lancers opened game two in confident fashion on Krista Mann's leadoff homer, but one pitch into her leadoff at-bat, West answered back with just the second long ball of her career. After junior pitcher Hunter Allen (2-8) retired the side in order in the second, Academy of Art continued its offensive push in the bottom half with a pair of two-run homers by Oldham and West. Sophomore infielder Samantha Klune later added a fifth run on a single to center field and ART U led 6-1.

That advantage was shortened by two after a pair of errors in the third then ART U found itself up by a single run at 6-5 following CBU's two-run  surge in the fourth. The bottom of the fifth inning saw Youngquist provide a much-needed cushion with her two-run homer backing up a double by Klune.

A scoreless sixth inning led into Mitchell going to work against the heart of the Lancer batting order with her team ahead 8-5. Two batters in, Hannah Thieroff sent a two-run shot over the left field fence and suddenly the tying run was at the plate with no outs. Mitchell and the Academy of Art defense stayed calm and proceeded to get two infield popouts then a flyout fittingly to West ended the threat as ART U completed the upset 8-7. Mitchell would finish with the victory after throwing 3.1 innings in relief while allowing just two runs on four hits.

Academy of Art moves to 12-14 in PacWest play and 16-29-1 overall with the day's results. Defeating the No. 16 team in the country marked the highest ranked team ART U has toppled since 2011 when the Urban Knights shut out No. 7 Hawaii Pacific. West finished Thursday 5-for-6 with the two homers, three runs batted in, three runs scored, and her seventh steal of the season. Oldham was 2-for-4 with a her sixth home run of the year (she's now tied with Genna Allen with 17 career homers, the second-most in program history) and two RBIs. Youngquist remained tied with Oldham for the team lead in homers with her sixth of the year and two RBIs as well while Mitchell added her fifth homer of the season along with three RBIs.

The quartet of homers broke program's previous single-game record of three set on three occasions (including two at Dixie State) and West joined Genna Allen, Lauren Stover, and Crista Sykes as the only Urban Knights ever to homer twice in a single game.

No. 16 California Baptist takes just its sixth conference loss of the year, ending the day 22-6 in the PacWest and 39-9 overall. Mann homered in each game, finishing the day 3-for-8 with two homers and five RBIs. Ashley Coleman (17-3) won the opening game with one run allowed in 4.0 innings while Kellye Springstead (9-4) took the game two loss after surrendering six runs in 1.2 innings.

Academy of Art looks ahead to a rematch with No. 16 California Baptist this Saturday, Apr. 23 back at Mission Blue Field. The Urban Knights will celebrate their two seniors, Andrea Gill and Elise Oldham, following game two of the noon doubleheader.