Game 1 Box Score
Turlock, CA—The Academy of Art University's softball team battled the Vikings of Western Washington in a double header Wednesday afternoon. The games were played in a neutral site at Pedretti Park in Turlock, CA, and this was the Urban Knight's first games since their road trip in Hawaii. Despite their best efforts, the Academy of Art University lost the first game in extra innings with a final score of 8-7 and ended up dropping the second game with a score of 7-1.
Energy was running high for the Urban Knights in the first game. Being over a week since their last games, the Academy of Art University came out ready to play; but Western Washington was standing in their way. The Vikings struck first pushing a run across in the bottom of the first inning. But the Urban Knights answered right back in the second inning. With two outs in the top of the second, the Academy of Art University started a small rally. Sierrah Garcia was hit by a pitch, and then Ashley Petty doubled to right field to score Garcia from first. Shelby LaFond then singled to center field, scoring Petty from second. Those two runs allowed the Urban Knights to hold a small lead.
Taking advantage of errors, the Vikings attacked in the bottom of the fourth inning, with three runs of their own making it a 5-2 game. But that wouldn't hold the Urban Knight's for long, as they posted two runs of their own, after timely hits and well executed short game in the top of the fifth. Things looked gloom for the Academy of Art University as Western Washington added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with three more runs.
The Urban Knights had a huge seventh inning. With one out Ericka Ames (who pinch hit) started the inning off with a single. Then Nicole Palmer doubled to center field, scoring Ames from first. Shampayne Clay followed with a hard single to the pitcher, advancing Palmer to third. Clay then stole second, and Palmer scored on the throw. Alana Aweau then came in to pinch hit, and hit a long single to right-center field scoring Clay from third. This rally allowed the Academy of Art University to tie things up at seven, and after tough defense in the bottom of the inning, they forced the game into extra innings.
After going three up, three down in the top of the eighth inning, the Academy of Art University couldn't keep the Vikings from scoring. With two outs in the bottom of the eight, Western Washington University scored a run, ending the game with a final score of 8-7.
Sierrah Garcia pitched a great game for the Urban Knights. She went 7.2 innings, giving up 12 hits, and eight runs, four which were earned. Garcia gave up one walk and had two strikeouts in the game.
For the Academy of Art University, Jacqueline Nieves had a good game going 2-4. Ashley Petty also did well going 1-3, with a double, two runs scored and a run batted in; and Nicole Palmer went 1-4, also with a double, a run scored and a run batted in.
Lead hitters for the Vikings were Michelle Wrigley who went 2-5, with two runs scored, Kelsey Anderson who went 2-4, with two runs scored and one RBI, and Caitlin Dotlich who went 1-4, with two runs scored and one run batted in.
The Urban Knights scored seven runs, off ten hits. They totaled three doubles in the game, with five errors and left seven runners on base.
Game 2 Box Score
The intensity was much lower for the Academy or Art University at the start of the second game, and it carried throughout all seven innings. Again the Vikings struck first, posting a run in the top of the first inning. With the small lead, they took control of the game and never looked back.
Strong Viking pitching and defense kept the Urban Knights from scoring any runs for most of the game. Although the Academy of Art University was able to get runners on base, they were unable to score them. They had bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, but failed to muster up any runs. Meanwhile, Western Washington was adding to their lead, with three runs in the fourth, two runs in the fifth, and one more run in the sixth.
The Urban Knights were finally able to put a run on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning. Nicole Palmer started the inning off with a single to left field. Then with one out, Melissa Coe grounded out; advancing Palmer to second. With two outs, Crista Sykes singled to center field scoring Palmer from second. That would be the only run the Urban Knights would manage to score in the game, and they ended up losing with a final score of 7-1.
Junior Ericka Ames started the game in the circle for the Academy of Art University. She went four innings pitched, giving up eight hits, four earned runs and one walk. Sierrah Garcia came in to relieve Ames. Garcia went three innings pitched, giving up four hits, three earned runs, one walk, and had one strikeout. Ames got the loss in the game.
Academy of Art University's own Crista Sykes went 2-3 in the game with a run batted in. Nicole Palmer also had a good game going 1-3, with one run scored, and Melissa Coe went 1-3 in the game.
Lead hitters for Western Washington University were Samantha Rutherford who went 2-3, with two runs scored and a run batted in; Caitlin Dotlich who went 2-2, with a run scored and a run batted in; and Michelle Wrigley who went 2-4 with a run scored.
The Urban Knights scored one run on five hits with one error and left six runners on base.
After the sweep, the Academy of Art University's record falls to 9-25 on the season, and Western Washington University's record improves to 11-9 overall. The Urban Knights are set to take action again on April 8th, when they take on Menlo College in Atherton, CA. Game times are scheduled for 2:00 and 4:00pm.
