IRVINE, Calif. – In its first road trip outside of the Bay Area since late February 2020, Academy of Art softball began its 2022 season in the Concordia Kickoff Classic at Great Park on Friday. The Urban Knights rallied midway through their opening contest, but ended up falling to Montana State Billings 10-2 before sustaining a 15-0 defeat to Stanislaus State in the day's nightcap.

GAME 1 – MSUB 10, ART U 2 (5)
The season opener started with the Yellowjackets stinging for five runs in the first inning, four on a grand slam. Montana State Billings added two more in the second frame to go up 7-0, but Academy of Art began stringing together baserunners. Sophomore pitcher/infielder Katie Humphreys led off with a single then walks by senior utility Alyssa Rasmussen and sophomore infielder Haley Randall set up a big spot for graduate student utility Nina Vallejos to drive in her first two teammates as an Urban Knight on a single.

The offense continued to flow for MSUB, however, as the designated home team took one run back in their half of the third before tacking on two more in the fourth. ART U put two on in the fifth inning with hopes of extending the 10-2 game with a score, but Montana State Billings secured the win instead.

GAME 2 – STAN STATE 15, ART U 0 (5)
Though Randall single and stole a base in the first inning of delayed night contest against Stanislaus State, it was the Warriors who struck first, surging out to a 7-0 advantage one frame in. Two more runs crossed for Stanislaus State in the second, but freshman pitcher Julia Jordan entered and promptly struck out two of the first four batters she faced in her second appearance of the day.

Vallejos registered her third in the tournament in the third yet the Warriors countered with two more multi-run innings thereafter, finishing the contest on top.

To start the season, Academy of Art is 0-2 with the tandem of Vallejos and Humphreys leading while sporting .500 batting averages. Vallejos (3-for-6) has been responsible for two driven in while Humphreys (2-for-4) scored once along with Rasmussen.

Montana State Billings moved to 1-1 on the day after a 3-for-3 performance from Lauren Blaschak and four driven in by Jazlyn Kalehuawehe. One of just four teams to start the Concordia Kickoff Classic 2-0, Stanislaus State got three RBIs from Sidney Crippen-Lay's 2-for-2 effort while Delaney Pamplin (2-0) picked up the win.

The Knights will be in action at Great Park twice more tomorrow with matchups coming against Cal State Dominguez Hills (11:30 a.m.) and Chico State (4:30 p.m.) both at Field 1.