IRVINE, Calif. – Returning to Great Park for its next two games in the Concordia Kickoff Classic, Academy of Art softball ran into a pair of staunch offenses, dropping contests to Cal State Dominguez Hills and Chico State on Saturday. The Urban Knights were back by only two runs heading into the third inning, but the Toros used an eight-run fourth to power a 16-0 win in five innings then ART U rallied home a run in the fourth versus the Wildcats, but could not prevent the run rule from triggering in the fifth of what ended as a 9-1 ballgame.

GAME 1 – CSUDH 16, ART U 0 (5)
After Cal State Dominguez Hills plated two runs on three hits in the first frame, freshman Julia Jordan (0-1) and the Academy of Art defense kept the Toros off the scoreboard in the second. CSUDH then utilized its speed to help tack on four runs in the third while Alyssa Olague (1-0) handed the ball to Ashley Wies (2-1) in the third with still no hits allowed.

An eight-run fourth propelled the Toros to go up 14-0 then 16-0 in the fifth before the Knights broke up the combined perfect game with a leadoff walk by junior outfielder Bethany Mitchell then a single from junior catcher/utility Cassandra Mittman. In the end, Cal State Dominguez Hills held on to win in five innings.

GAME 2 – CHICO 9, ART U 1 (5)
Sophomore pitcher Jolene Rhoades (0-2) nearly escaped a first-inning jam unscathed, but a three-run error helped Chico State go ahead to start. A 6-0 game at the start of the fourth, Academy of Art led off with freshman infielder Haley Randall roping the first pitch she saw into right field for a triple that soon set the table for Mitchell. Working a 2-0 count, the Graphic Design major proceeded to send a single up the middle to score her teammate and get ART U on the scoreboard.

After a three-pitch inning in the bottom of the fourth helped Rhoades retire the Wildcats in order, the game was on the line in the fifth following a two-run triple. One run from the run rule ending the contest and a runner on third, Chico State sent its own single up the middle to win 9-1.

Academy of Art falls to 0-4 on the season, but had strong offensive performances from Randall, 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored, as well as Mitchell, 2-for-3 with one run batted in. Rhoades finished with six runs allowed in 4.1 innings and three strikeouts.

Cal State Dominguez Hills improved to 3-1 with the victory as Raquel Jaime led the way, going 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored while the combination of Olague and Wies combined for the five-inning shutout and six strikeouts. Undefeated to start 2022, Chico State sits at 4-0 following the win which was supported by Grace Stover's 3-for-3 performance that included three RBIs. Katelyn Oldwin (1-0) picked up the win for the Wildcats with one run allowed on three hits plus eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.

ART U closes out the Concordia Kickoff Classic tomorrow with a 10:45 a.m. matchup against Cal State San Bernardino at Field 3 of Great Park.