Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Hayward, CA – Out at Pioneer Field for a matchup with Cal State East Bay, ART U Softball sustained a pair of heartbreakers as two ballgames tied late both turned into 3-2 victories for the Pioneers. The Wednesday non-conference doubleheader started with Academy of Art coming back against an early CSUEB lead, but game one belonged to the home team after a walk-off single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning. A pitchers' duel early, the second contest was tied 1-1 in the fifth though East Bay pulled off the 3-2 win via a two-run rally.

Despite working more than 30 pitches out of East Bay starter Lauren Zweigle (7-10) in the opening inning, ART U started game one with a scoreless top of the first. CSUEB, however, responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning as a two-run single by Emily Montanez helped the Pioneers break through.

That was essentially the only scoring chance senior Kimberly Dauer (5-10) would allow until the final frame. Working in rhythm with her defense and even striking out two in the fourth, Dauer continued force zeroes from Cal State East Bay.

In the fourth, junior Lauren Stover helped the Urban Knights halve the Pioneers' advantage with a solo home run, her team-leading third of the season, to left. After Dauer retired her fifth consecutive CSUEB batter in the fifth, Academy of Art put together a rally in the sixth. Junior Elyse Cordova reached on an error by Zweigle then took second and third each on passed balls. A big RBI single from senior Andrea Hanchey cashed in Cordova, effectively tying the game 2-2.

That score held up until the bottom of the seventh when three Pioneers reached base with one out and ultimately Nicole Adair delivered the winning hit, singling to right for the walk-off. Though she would take the loss, Dauer still offered a solid line with just three runs allowed on seven hits in 6.1 innings pitched with five strikeouts.


Freshman Shelby Gill (0-5) went toe-to-toe with Andi Anderson (2-7) for three scoreless innings to start off game two. The Pioneers threatened by putting two runners on in the second and third, but Gill exited both frames unscathed after inducing groundouts.

CSUEB managed to score first in the fourth when Mandy Dale singled home Sara Pacioni, but the Urban Knights came right back to tie things up in the top of the fifth. Redshirt sophomore Jasmine Dickenson singled to start things off, then made her way to third following a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. She would later score on an error which allowed senior Julie Martin to reach and it was 1-1 going into the bottom of the fifth.

The Pioneers used three hits to rally home two in the inning and soon it was up to the middle of the ART U order to make one last push in the seventh inning of a 3-1 game. A Dickenson single was followed by freshman Jessica Marin's fourth double of the year before an RBI groundout from senior Alyssa Hickey made it 3-2. Though the tying run was 60 feet away, Academy of Art surrendered its final out and CSUEB pulled off the sweep with another 3-2 final.

Among the highlights Wednesday was Stover's 1-for-2 game one which included her third home run of the year. Hanchey was 1-for-3 in that same contest, adding her 13th RBI of the season (2nd on team). Dickenson had hits in both games, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored while Hickey was 1-for-3 in game two with an RBI. Gill allowed three runs on 10 hits with a pair of strikeouts in 5.0 innings of game two. Academy of Art moves to 10-19 overall in 2013.

Now 9-19 overall this season, Cal State East Bay had perhaps its best offensive days from Montanez (2-for-6, 3 RBI) and Taryn Thomas (6-for-8). The game one victory went to Zweigle who tossed 7.0 innings with two runs allowed on three hits and three strikeouts. Anderson got the win in game two, allowing a pair of runs as well on five hits with four strikeouts in 7.0 innings pitched.

Academy of Art will be back at home for just its fourth home gameday of the season this Monday, Apr. 1 when the Urban Knights host Chaminade in PacWest action. The doubleheader out at Mission Blue Field is scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM.