KANEOHE, Hawaii – Though Academy of Art softball took a 3-2 lead over Hawaii Pacific midway through its first Pacific West Conference matchup with the Sharks on Tuesday, the doubleheader shifted into the hands of the home team, 5-4 and 4-0, out at Howard A. Okita Field.

GAME 1 – HPU 5, ART U 4
Scoreless through opening inning, the series opener saw the Sharks strike first for one run in the second before the Urban Knights promptly loaded the bases with an error plus singles by junior utility Alexis Folks and sophomore utility Marissa "Roo" Menard yet could not convert in the third. Hawaii Pacific would make it 2-0 on a sacrifice fly in their half of the frame then, with two runners on in the fourth, senior infielder Elle Edeker singled to right center to score one and a costly outfield error made it 3-2 in favor of ART U.

The Sharks quickly came back with a run-scoring single to make it 3-3 in their half of the third then went ahead 5-3 on two extra-base hits in the sixth. In a must-score situation by the seventh inning, senior outfielder Cailee Grayhorse-Pupecki legged out her third triple of the season to bring in Folks. Representing the tying run at third base, Grayhorse-Pupecki nearly came home on senior infielder Katie Humphreys' fly ball to center, but a perfect throw got the game-ending out at home.

GAME 2 – HPU 4, ART U 0
Freshman pitcher Kayla Vaughan (3-11) dueled with Layla Molina (1-5) through three scoreless innings to start the day's second contest though singles by senior infielder Haley Randall and Edeker posed a threat in the second.

Two hits led the Sharks to two runs in the fourth then, after they dodged a bases-loaded situation for Academy of Art in the fifth, the home team extended its margin to 4-0 on three more hits in the third. The final frame began with singles by sophomore infielder Olivia Glover and Folks yet HPU held on for the 4-0 victory.

Academy of Art moves to 7-26 on the year and 3-17 in conference play after Folks, Grayhorse-Pupecki, and Edeker recorded hits in each game with Grayhorse-Pupecki and Edeker each adding one run batted in apiece.

Hawaii Pacific, now 6-16 overall and 2-8 in PacWest action, relied upon offensive production from Jewel Larson (4-for-7 with a double and two RBIs). In the first game, Taylor Thompson (4-5) picked up the win after allowing two earned runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Then it was Layla Molina (1-5) who tossed the game two shutout with five hits and one walk allowed plus two strikeouts.

ART U will finish its conference series with HPU with another 1 p.m. HT (4 p.m. PT) doubleheader tomorrow.