Games #41 & 42
ART U Urban Knights (10-30) vs. Jessup Warriors (31-7)
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 1 & 3 p.m.
Lincoln, Calif. – Foskett Regional Park
Live Stats | Live Video

ART U TO CHALLENGE FUTURE PACWEST MEMBER IN JESSUP
Back from Hawaii and approaching the final days of the season, Academy of Art softball prepares to wrap up its non-conference slate with a doubleheader at Jessup, a future member of the Pacific West Conference, this week.

FIRST PITCH
Foskett Regional Park in Lincoln will be the site of this Wednesday's non-conference twin bill between ART U and Jessup which is set to begin at 1 p.m. 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
With their nine triples ranking second in the PacWest and their 42 stolen bases checking in at third in the conference, the Urban Knights have a trio hitting .300 or higher including senior infielder Katie Humphreys (.313, 15th in PacWest), junior utility Alexis Folks (.309, 17th in PacWest), and senior outfielder Cailee Grayhorse-Pupecki (.300, 19th in PacWest). Folks' 21 walks have helped her to be among the conference's top 10 in on-base percentage (.410) while Grayhorse-Pupecki's four triples are second and her four home runs are tied for ninth overall while her 20 runs scored are 11th and her 18 runs batted in sit ninth. Tied with Grayhorse-Pupecki's 18 RBIs and just back of her 12 extra-base hits, sophomore infielder Audrey Allen (.274) has 11 swings for extra bases including seven doubles (13th in PacWest). With 11 stolen bases in 12 attempts thus far, freshman outfielder Lida Wos ranks fourth in the conference.

Pitching duties have rested primarily with freshman Kayla Vaughan (4-14) and freshman Alyssa Fullmer (5-8) who have combined to throw 191.0 innings in 2024. Vaughan sports a 4.60 earned run average over her 16 starts and Fullmer has a 4.64 ERA through 13 starts with Vaughan's 79 strikeouts coming in at fifth in the PacWest and first among non-seniors/grad students. Through her 50.2 innings of work, sophomore Kamielle Powell (1-4) paces the Urban Knights with a 4.28 ERA.

WEEKDAY WARRIORS
Jessup went 20-2 to start the year and, despite being swept by Vanguard on Mar. 16, the Warriors have boasted 11 wins in their last 14 games since then. With an 18-2 record at home, Jessup is closing in on the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament as the leaders of six conference teams. Six qualified Warrior hitters hold averages of .307 or higher led by Sarah Giles' .500 clip (51-for-88) which comes with team-highs of 15 home runs, 57 RBIs, and 15 doubles. Defensively, Katie Blankenheim (11-3) paces the rotation with a 2.55 ERA and nine complete games in 93.1 innings pitched. After meeting ART U for a doubleheader last season, Jessup is 3-1 all-time versus the Knights.

HAWAII TRIP FINISHES WITH ART U TWICE TRIUMPHING OVER CUH
Academy of Art softball concluded its 12-game Hawaii road trip on a truly victorious note on Apr. 7 as the Urban Knights secured two Pacific West Conference victories over Chaminade. Setting the tone with a four-run second inning, ART U then rode an impressive complete game from Fullmer to the 6-2 win then, the Knights gained another early advantage in the series finale which featured Vaughan also going the distance in a 3-1 triumph.

ON THE HORIZON
One final PacWest doubleheader remains on the schedule as Academy of Art rematches Dominican on Apr. 26 for Senior Day.