Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Brisbane, CA – Locked in two close battles late, Academy of Art University Softball ended up taking home tough losses on both sides of a Friday doubleheader with Azusa Pacific out at Mission Blue Field. Game one was a 1-1 tie early and, though the Cougars would eventually win 10-1 in six innings, the Urban Knights remained within striking distance until the final frame. The second contest rollercoaster ride as ART U got ahead 3-0 on Taylor Thurman's homer in the first inning, fell behind 7-6, went back in front 9-7, and were a strike away from victory before APU plated two in the seventh to send it into extra innings. There, the visitors managed a five-run ninth to earn the 14-9 win.

Although game one started on a difficult note with Katrina Oviedo's solo home run in the first, Academy of Art had a rebuttal in the bottom half. Four consecutive singles started ART U's turn at the plate as Jessica West, Kamyle Glover, and Elyse Cordova effectively loaded the bases for one of the hottest hitters in the PacWest right now. Taylor Thurman delivered a RBI single down the left field line and a 1-1 game carried through to the third.

A RBI single for the Cougars put them up 2-1 and, while the Knights had the tying run on third base in the fourth inning, Azusa Pacific managed to hold off the threat. APU then added two in the fifth and then put the game out of reach in the sixth thanks to a six-run rally fueled by walks. The final result was a 10-1 victory for the Cougars after six innings.


Academy of Art started game two with an authoritative three-run homer from Thurman after West and Glover had again set her up. The blast was Thurman's third of the year and, interestingly, all three have been three-run shots coming in the first inning of each respective game. The 3-0 advantage held strong for two innings as Jill Johnson (7-9) racked up three strikeouts in that span while not allowing her first hit until the third.

A leadoff double in the fourth led to APU's first run on a suicide squeeze and the visitors began to steadily chip away with another run in the fifth. ART U, however, went to work in the bottom half, scoring three times on an error and a two-run single from Elise Oldham.

The Knights' 6-2 lead would not last long as Azusa Pacific came back with five in the sixth, keyed by a three-run blast from Oviedo. That would put the Cougars in front 7-6, but their margin did not remain either. At the plate in the sixth, Academy of Art started with a Lauren Stove leadoff double and later it was a huge three-run triple from Cordova that vaulted ART U to a 9-7 advantage.

Friday's results put Academy of Art at 12-22 overall (9-9 in PacWest). It was Thurman who once again led the way, going 3-for-7 with a home run, double, four RBIs, and one run scored on the day to bring her season batting average up to .400. Cordova remained hot with a 3-for-8 twinbill that included a triple, three RBIs, a stolen base and a run scored. Oldham drove in a pair in the second contest and Glover was 2-for-4 with three runs scored in that contest, pushing her batting average to .434 this year.

Back at Mission Blue Field tomorrow, the Urban Knights get another crack at Azusa Pacific (35-15, 18-10 PacWest) with the series wrapping up after a 12:00 PM doubleheader.