Game #6
ART U Urban Knights (0-5) vs. Central Washington Wildcats (0-0)
Friday, February 11, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. MT (1:30 p.m. PT)
Tucson, Ariz. – Lincoln Park - Field 2
Live Stats | Live Video
 
Game #7
ART U Urban Knights (0-5) vs. Montana State Billings Yellowjackets (2-3)
Friday, February 11, 2022 at 5 p.m. MT (4 p.m. PT)
Tucson, Ariz. – Lincoln Park - Field 2
Live Stats | Live Video

Game #8
ART U Urban Knights (0-5) vs. Minot State Beavers (4-0)
Friday, February 11, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. MT (1:30 p.m. PT)
Tucson, Ariz. – Lincoln Park - Field 3
Live Stats

Game #9
ART U Urban Knights (0-5) vs. Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks (1-4)
Friday, February 11, 2022 at 5 p.m. MT (4 p.m. PT)
Tucson, Ariz. – Lincoln Park - Field 1
Live Stats | Live Video

Game #10
ART U Urban Knights (0-5) vs. Washburn Ichabods (1-3)
Friday, February 11, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. MT (8:30 a.m. PT)
Tucson, Ariz. – Lincoln Park - Field 3
Live Stats

ART U TO FACE FIVE OPPONENTS IN SECOND TOURNAMENT TO START YEAR
Following its season debut in the Concordia Kickoff Classic down in Irvine, Academy of Art softball now turns its attention to another tournament, the Montana State Billings Desert Stinger, which brings four new opponents and one rematch on neutral fields in Tucson, Arizona.

FIRST PITCH
The Urban Knights begin this week's action on Friday, Feb. 11 with a 2:30 p.m. MT (1:30 p.m. PT) contest against Central Washington followed by another meeting with tournament host MSUB at 5 p.m. MT (4 p.m. PT) both at Lincoln Park Field 2. Day two of the Desert Stinger, Saturday, Feb. 12, sees ART U clash with Minot State at 2:30 p.m. MT (1:30 p.m. PT) then Northwest Nazarene at 5 p.m. MT (4 p.m. PT) on Lincoln Park's Fields 3 and 1 one respectively. On Lincoln Park Field 3 once again, Academy of Art closes the tourney against Washburn at 9:30 a.m. MT (8:30 a.m. PT) on Sunday, Feb. 13. 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
Through its first five games of the year, Academy of Art softball has sophomore pitcher/infielder Katie Humphreys leading the way with a .400 batting average, one run scored, and one stolen base. Graduate student utility Nina Vallejos drove in the team's first two runs and is hitting .273 while sophomore infielder Haley Randall has a triple as part of her .250 batting average. Junior outfielder Bethany Mitchell and freshman infielder Carina Sanchez each have one run batted in apiece as well.

Both freshman pitcher Julia Jordan (0-1) and sophomore pitcher Jolene Rhoades (0-3) ended the Concordia Kickoff Classic with their best outings of the season, giving up just one earned run each in a combined 6.0 innings pitched versus Cal State San Bernardino. Jordan has registered 14 strikeouts (fourth-most in the Pacific West Conference) across 11.1 innings to start her collegiate career.

CENTER OF ATTENTION
Yet to play a game in 2022, Central Washington finished second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference last year and made their second NCAA West Regional appearance in the last three seasons. Having lost six key players and their head coach from last season, however, the Wildcats were picked to finish last in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll and will look to First Team All-GNAC honoree Harlee Carpenter who batted .370 with eight doubles, seven triples and 14 RBIs, as well as Honorable Mention All-GNAC selection Rhaney Harris who was 5-1 with a 3.50 ERA last year. CWU, who will play Chico State prior to ART U on Friday, holds a slight 7-5 lead in the historical matchup with the Knights.

BACK TO THE YELLOWJACKETS
After collecting its first win of the season against Academy of Art on Opening Day at the Concordia Kickoff Classic, Montana State Billings fell to both Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State Dominguez Hills before defeating Stanislaus State 3-1 to finish the tournament 2-5. Maycen O'Neal has led the Yellowjackets offensively thus far with a .313 batting average, two doubles, and five RBIs while Julia Qualteri (2-1) sports the team's lowest ERA (2.10) as well as the most innings pitched (13.1) and strikeouts (11). In eight previous meetings, MSUB, who faces Washburn prior, leads ART U 5-3.

LEAVE IT TO BEAVERS
At home hosting its own tournament, the Bubble Invite I, Minot State defeated all four of its opponents, University of Mary, Valley City State (N.D.), Dakota Wesleyan, and Minnesota Cookston, by a combined average margin of six runs. Three hitters sport batting averages at .500 or above including Maggie Mercer (.667), Jamie Odlum (.538), and Alina Gonzalez (.500) with the trio accounting for 12 RBIs. Defensively, Jasmine Blizzard (1-0) and Reegan Floyd (1-0) share the team-lead with identical 1.40 ERAs. Minot State, who takes on NNU and CSUDH on the first day of the Desert Stinger, has never faced Academy of Art previously.

TALKIN' NIGHTHAWKS
Facing two ranked opponents to start the Concordia Kickoff Classic, Northwest Nazarene did not pick up a victory until the final day, falling to No. 3 Biola, No. 10 Concordia, Chico State, and Hawaii Pacific all before topping Sonoma State 7-2. The Nighthawks will play four games prior to ending with the Knights as part of a tripleheader on Saturday. Stellar for NNU offensively and defensively thus far, Sidney Booth is batting .467 with three doubles and six RBIs while adding a 1.42 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 19.2 innings pitched. With wins in three of its last four matchups with Northwest Nazarene, ART U is 6-3 in the all-time series.

OUT OF THE WASH
Starting the season in the Minnesota State Sport Dome Classic, Washburn went 1-3 with two of those losses coming to No. 11 Minnesota State Mankato and the win a 5-4 result over Concordia St. Paul. The Ichabods' top hitter through four games has been Hadley Kerschen who is batting .571 with four RBIs. In the circle, Jaden LaBarge (0-2) is in search of her first win despite a 3.50 ERA while Raegan Hamm is 1-1 with 16 strikeouts in 12.1 innings despite a 6.81 ERA. Ahead of its first-ever meeting with the Urban Knights, Washburn will play MSUB, Saint Martin's, Western Washington, and CSUDH.

TIME RUNS OUT ON ART U COMEBACK IN KICKOFF CLASSIC FINALE
Academy of Art softball had its pitching hang tough on Feb. 6, the final day of the Concordia Kickoff Classic, and a rally in the seventh inning made for some exciting drama in what ended as a 3-1 win for Cal State San Bernardino out at Great Park.

ON THE HORIZON
After its first two tournaments are completed, ART U will have two non-conference doubleheaders prior to PacWest play with Sonoma State (Feb. 16) and Cal State Monterey Bay (Feb. 23) up next.