TURLOCK, Calif. – Academy of Art University softball took a pair of difficult losses to close out its fourth year participating in the Tournament of Champions on Sunday. Starting bright and early at 9 a.m. back at Pedretti Park, the Urban Knights were no-hit by Cal State Dominguez Hills and ended up falling 8-0 in five innings. Then, ART U's offense awoke for six runs on nine hits against Simon Fraser, but a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh resulted in a 7-6 walkoff win for the Clan.
GAME ONE (ART U vs. CSUDH)The Toros claimed an early lead with a solo home run to begin the bottom of the first inning and a run-scoring single then made it 2-0. Junior pitcher
Hunter Allen (2-4) entered in relief and induced six outs from the first seven batters she faced, but ran into trouble in the third inning. Two errors led to five runs (two earned) including a two-run homer by Renee Galindo and CSUDH led 7-0.
Jamie Duran (6-14) continued her success in the circle for the Toros, allowing just two base-runners including a walk to sophomore
Brenna Mitchell in the fourth inning. Duran would benefit from another unearned run in the fourth to enable the run-rule which went into effect after the fifth.
GAME TWO (ART U vs. SFU)Academy of Art went right to work against Simon Fraser in its Tournament of Champions finale. A single by senior catcher
Elise Oldham delivered junior outfielder
Jessica West to put ART U ahead 1-0, but the Clan came back with a two-run single in the bottom of the first.
After the teams exchanged a scoreless second inning, it was the Knights who tied it 2-2 on RBI single from freshman infielder
Brenna Youngquist that once again scored West. Academy of Art would then go ahead 3-2 when sophomore infielder
Samantha Klune blasted her second home run of the season to start the fourth.
Mitchell (8-8) shut down Simon Fraser in the half inning that followed and ART U added two more runs in the fifth, both on a RBI single from Klune that was aided by an error. A pair of miscues allowed the Clan to take one back in their half of the fifth, making the score 5-3 Knights.
Senior outfielder
Andrea Gill singled in freshman infielder
Katie Tablada in the sixth and, after Oldham caught a SFU runner attempting to steal at the end of the inning, Academy of Art needed just three more outs ahead 6-3. After a sacrifice fly, a two-out rally by the Clan saw Rachel Proctor come through with a RBI single and Robyn Mogavero deliver a two-run walkoff double for the shocking 7-6 victory.
Academy of Art leaves the Tournament of Champions with an overall record of 13-22-1. The second game had four Knights drive in at least one run apiece led by Klune's 2-for-4 performance that included a pair of RBIs. Mitchell threw her ninth complete game of the year in the second game, surrendering just two earned runs on nine hits and three strikeouts.
Cal State Dominguez Hills moved to 11-28 with its win and Simon Fraser is now 22-17 overall. CSUDH was led by Duran's five no-hit innings and a 3-for-3 performance from Jasmine Ruiz while SFU's winner was Tori Belton who allowed four runs in 5.2 innings and Mogavero's 1-for-4 performance that included two RBIs and the game-winning double.
ART U returns to Pacific West Conference play in the week to come, heading to Notre Dame de Namur for a doubleheader on Apr. 8 before hosting Holy Names on Apr. 9.
