Games #13 & 14
ART U Urban Knights (0-12) vs. No. 14 Cal State Monterey Bay Otters (8-3)
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at Noon and 2 p.m.
Brisbane, Calif. – Mission Blue Field
Live Stats & Live Video

Games #15 & 16
ART U Urban Knights (0-12, 0-0 PWC) vs. No. 3 Concordia Eagles (12-0, 0-0 PWC)
Sunday, February 27, 2022 at Noon and 2 p.m.
Brisbane, Calif. – Mission Blue Field
Live Stats & Live Video

Games #17 & 18
ART U Urban Knights (0-12, 0-0 PWC) vs. No. 3 Concordia Eagles (12-0, 0-0 PWC)
Monday, February 28, 2022 at Noon and 2 p.m.
Brisbane, Calif. – Mission Blue Field
Live Stats & Live Video

OTTERS, EAGLES TRAVEL TO BAY AREA TO MEET URBAN KNIGHTS
Hosting at Mission Blue Field for the first time this season, Academy of Art softball wraps up its initial portion of non-conference games with No. 14 Cal State Monterey Bay this Wednesday before beginning Pacific West Conference action with No. 3 Concordia over the weekend.

FIRST PITCH
The first home doubleheader of the season takes place this Wednesday, Feb. 23 with ART U matching up with CSUMB then a two-day, four-game series hosting CUI spans Sunday, Feb. 27 and Monday, Feb. 28. All games will be played at Mission Blue Field at noon and 2 p.m. each day. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps. 

KNIGHT WATCH
The team leader in batting average remains freshman utility Elle Edeker at .304 with a double and a triple while sophomore infielder Haley Randall comes off a most recent series that saw her go 3-for-6 with her first home run of the year. She is up to hitting .276, adding two runs batted in and extra-base hits of each variety with the homer, a triple, and a double plus five singles. Graduate student utility Nina Vallejos who also paces the squad with three runs batted in and senior catcher/infielder Lauryn Henderson has added two doubles.

Sophomore pitcher Jolene Rhoades (0-6) comes off her best outing of the season where she allowed just one run to Sonoma State on seven hits with four strikeouts. Freshman pitcher Julia Jordan (0-5) leads the team in strikeouts, ranking fifth in the PacWest with 26 through her first 27.0 innings pitched for Academy of Art.

OTTER OBSERVATIONS
Ranked No. 14 in the country by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Cal State Monterey Bay began 2022 by winning its first four games (including shutouts of Azusa Pacific and Hawaii Pacific) before falling to Western Washington 1-0 all at the Concordia Kickoff Classic. Since that time, the Otters swept Biola (ranked No. 3 at the time) and split four games with Chico State (ranked No. 19 at the time). CSUMB has relied upon strong batting averages from Ally Alcayaga (.433) and Ivana Perez (.424) with that pair combining for 12 RBIs. Defensively, Jensen Main (5-0) and Cassie Gasper (3-3) each have earned run averages under 1.00 at 0.52 and 0.96 respectively while combining for 62 strikeouts in 72.0 innings pitched. Though the teams split their series in 2018, Cal State Monterey Bay is up 8-4 historically against ART U.

BIRDS FLYING HIGH
Undefeated through 12 games and holding a No. 3 national ranking, Concordia is the PacWest leader in both team batting average (.349) and home runs (7) as well as ERA (1.77). The Eagles shut out both Cal State San Bernardino and WWU in their own Kickoff Classic, swept Montana State Billings, then won all five games in the Desert Stinger by an average of more than six runs. Prior to meeting Academy of Art this weekend, CUI will play Dominican on Feb. 24-25. Missy Nemeth's .462 batting average, three home runs (tied for first in PacWest), and 14 RBIs (first in PacWest) lead Concordia offensively while their top statistical pitcher has been Erika Morris (3-0) with her 0.89 ERA and followed by Cortney Koelmans (3-0) with her 1.11 ERA. In 14 previous meetings, CUI leads the Knights 13-1.

POWER, PITCHING, EMERGE, BUT SSU BESTS ART U IN TWIN BILL
Out at Seawolf Softball Field for its first non-conference doubleheader of the season, Academy of Art softball flexed its muscles with sophomore infielder Haley Randall's two-run homer in the opening contest then sophomore pitcher Jolene Rhoades delivered her best performance in the circle as part of a duel with Sonoma State's starter in the second game. Ultimately, the Seawolves prevailed 10-2 and 1-0 on Feb. 16.

ON THE HORIZON
Two more home series await ART U as Azusa Pacific (Mar. 7-8) and Cal Poly Humboldt (Mar. 13) are next on the schedule at Mission Blue Field.