BRISBANE, Calif. – Back home at Mission Blue Field on Friday, Academy of Art softball held a lead during game one and remained within striking distance of Jessup throughout the first two parts of a four-game Pacific West Conference series. However, late offense allowed the Warriors to separate for victories of 7-4 and 5-3 despite double-digit hits from the Urban Knights.

GAME 1 – JES 7, ART U 4
Though Jessup was up 2-0 moving into the bottom of the third inning in the series opener, doubles by senior utility Alexis Folks and freshman infielder Riannah Maulupe initiated the offense for Academy of Art. Sophomore outfielder Ari Mallari promptly delivered the game-tying run on a single one pitch after Maulupe's at-bat, knotting the contest at 2-2.

Junior pitcher Kamielle Powell (3-20) and the ART U defense stranded a runner at third in the fourth then proceeded to move in front of the Warriors 3-2 later in the frame as a leadoff single by sophomore pitcher/utility Kayla Vaughan was soon cashed in on Folks' sacrifice fly.

That one-run difference held up until the sixth when a two-run double capped a three-run rally and, with two more touching home in the seventh, the difference was 7-3 as the bottom of the inning arrived. Three singles, that last off the bat of Maulupe, brought in one, but the game ended at 7-4 with the potential tying run at the plate.

GAME 2 – JES 5, ART U 3
A two-run top of the second inning was quickly matched by the Urban Knights as game two saw junior infielder/catcher Olivia Glover double in a pair in the bottom of the second. The Warriors then used an unearned run to go ahead 3-2 in the third and, though they threatened in the fifth, Powell's ninth strikeout of the afternoon eliminated the opportunity.

Singular runs came through for Jessup in the sixth and seventh frames, giving the visitors a 5-2 advantage that was cut into in ART U's last chance. Graduate student outfielder Cailee Grayhorse-Pupecki led off the inning by being hit by a pitch and later scored thanks to aggressive baserunning after a wild pitch, but the comeback concluded there at 5-3.

Academy of Art moves to 10-35 overall and 8-22 in PacWest action after Maulupe shined in game one with two driven in plus a double and one run scored as part of a 2-for-4 effort then Glover also plated two of her teammates as part of a 1-for-3 game two performance that included a double.

Jessup, now 30-21 overall and 22-12 in conference play, was led by Maddy Ybarra's 6-for-9 day that featured three runs batted in, three stolen bases, and two runs scored. Alexandria Himes (10-8) collected the win with one run allowed on three hits and two strikeouts over 3.0 innings of relief in the opening contest before Bella McFarlane (13-7) tossed a complete 7.0 innings of a game two victory, surrendering three runs on two hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

The series between the Urban Knights and Warriors will conclude tomorrow with another noon doubleheader at Foskett Regional Park in Lincoln.