LAS VEGAS – Opening the season with two games in the MSU Billings Desert Stinger Tournament, Academy of Art University Softball a pair of tough losses despite standout performances from junior infielder
Brenna Youngquist offensively in the opener against MSU Billings and freshman pitcher
Brooke Larsen defensively versus No. 21 Chico State. Youngquist blasted the first grand slam of her career in a clutch seventh-inning situation to send the first contest into extra innings where the Yellowjackets stung for a game-ending two-run homer and the 8-6 final. Under the lights, Larsen struck out seven, walked none, and allowed just a single earned run in her first collegiate start which ended with the No. 21 Wildcats winning 4-0.
"We did some things really well today," said head coach
Sonja Garnett. "We had disciplined approaches at the plate and executed the small stuff really well offensively.
Brenna Youngquist had some quality at-bats today and I'm really proud of her ability to come through clutch for the team. Brooke had a tremendous first outing against one of the best hitting teams in the West Region."
MSUB 8, ART U 6 (8)
After sophomore pitcher
Hannah Rose Balke (0-1) and the ART U defense retired the first six Yellowjackets they faced, Academy of Art broke through for the first run of the game. A leadoff walk and steal by sophomore outfielder
Gabi Hirsch in the third was backed up by a sacrifice bunt from freshman infielder
Jayda Alaan before sophomore infielder
Gracie Sotomayor brought Hirsch in on a suicide squeeze play.
The Urban Knights doubled their lead with another run in the fourth inning on three consecutive singles from senior infielder
Samantha Klune, sophomore utility
Dominique Seva'aetasi, and ultimately Hirsch who provided the run batted in. The 2-0 advantage did not last long, however, because MSUB responded with four runs in the fourth and later added two more on a homer in the sixth, leading to a 6-2 ballgame with one final chance for Academy of Art.
In the seventh, the table was set by an error, hit batter, and a single before Youngquist stepped in and launched a 1-2 pitch beyond the left field fence for the first grand slam of her career. With the score now tied 6-6, Balke returned for a three-up, three-down seventh and, though the Knights loaded the bases in the eighth, it was a two-run homer from Megan Dettling that broke the tie and gave MSU Billings the 8-6 victory.
#21 CHICO 4, ART U 0
Coming back after a three-hour break, ART U again navigated two scoreless innings against the No. 21 team in the country Chico State behind a strong start from Larsen. Three errors led to three runs for the Wildcats in the third then two more miscues prompted another run in the fourth, but Larsen was unfazed, retiring eight of the final 10 batters she faced and striking out three in a row at one point.
Searching for their first hit of the game in the seventh inning, the Knights got it from none other than Larsen herself, despite being a strike away from the contest going final. Chico State did prevail 4-0 in the end, but it was without the no-hitter.
Academy of Art begins its season 0-2 overall. On the day, Youngquist finished 1-for-4 with the homer, four runs batted in, and three walks in two games. Larsen went 2-for-7, Hirsch was 1-for-5 with two stolen bases, and Alaan, who made eight plate appearances on the day, set the program's single-game record for times hit by a pitch with three in the season opener then two in the second contest. Larsen's first career start saw her allow just one unearned run on five hits with no walks and seven strikeouts in a complete 7.0 innings pitched.
For MSU Billings (2-0), Shayla Felix was a highlight, going 3-for-3 with three runs batted in and, for No. 21 Chico State (2-0), Haley Gilham (1-0) held a no-hitter through 6.2 innings pitched and finished with the complete game shutout.
Academy of Art will return to Majestic Park for games three and four of the Desert Stinger facing SF State (11:30 a.m.) and UC San Diego (2 p.m.).
