AZUSA, Calif. – Back out at Cougar Softball Field to finish its first four-game Pacific West Conference series of the season, Academy of Art softball rallied for multiple runs in three different innings, but Azusa Pacific managed to emerge with both victories on Saturday. Early offense from the Cougars staked them to a six-run advantage that the Urban Knights cut in half in the fourth frame, but the 6-3 final held the rest of the way. Four runs in the first inning of the second game were added upon with two more in the fourth, but APU closed the afternoon with four runs in the final two frames to steal the 7-6 win.

GAME 1 – APU 6, ART U 3
With a leadoff double from junior infielder Katie Humphreys in the second inning of the series' third contest, Academy of Art nearly had the first run on the board if not for an outfield assist to end the threat. That gave way to four runs, three on a double, in the bottom half before two more came home in the bottom of the third to build a 6-0 lead for Azusa Pacific.

Two hit batters sandwiched singles by freshman infielder Audrey Allen and Humphreys to open the fourth then sophomore infielder Elle Edeker plated another with a single up the middle and freshman utility Roo Menard logged the first run batted in of her collegiate career walking with the bases loaded. Despite shrinking APU's margin to 6-3 and having freshman pitcher Kamielle Powell (3-8) not allow a run in her 3.1 relief innings, ART U would not come any closer the rest of the way.

GAME 2 – APU 7, ART U 6
Immediate offense began Saturday's second game as senior outfielder Bethany Mitchell and junior infielder Haley Randall both reached and stole bases before coming home on Allen's double to left. Edeker soon singled one more in and junior utility Cailee Grayhorse-Pupecki capped the four-run frame with another bases-loaded walk.

After the Cougars got two runs back in their half of the first, senior pitcher Haley Arnold-Jolley (0-9) worked with her defense to keep Azusa Pacific off the scoreboard for the three frames that followed. Meanwhile the Urban Knights pushed their advantage to 6-2 with run-scoring singles by Allen and senior catcher/utility Cassandra Mittman both in the fourth.

APU slowly mounted a comeback, plating one on a solo homer in the fifth before an error along with a two-run double in the sixth tied things up at 6-6. ART U put a runner into scoring position in the seventh, but Azusa Pacific doubled then singled for the 7-6 walk-off win in the bottom half.

The day's results put the Knights at 3-19 overall and 0-6 in conference matchups. Allen finished the twin bill 3-for-6 with three runs batted in, a double, and three runs scored while Humphreys delivered multi-hit games in both, ending 4-for-7 with two runs scored and a double. Edeker provided two runs batted in on the day in a 2-for-6 effort and Randall was 3-for-6 on the afternoon, scoring three times with a double and a stolen base. Arnold-Jolley's 5.2 innings in game two were a season-high and just three of the runs she allowed were earned while she added three strikeouts.

Elevating to 15-14 overall and 7-9 in conference games, APU had Katie Korstrom end the day 4-for-7 with two runs batted in and three doubles while also picking up both wins in the pitcher's circle with no runs allowed on three hits and two walks plus seven strikeouts in 7.2 relief innings pitched.

Starting a 12-part homestand next, Academy of Art first hosts Chaminade for a pair of noon doubleheaders on Mar. 20-21 at Mission Blue Field.