Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Brisbane, CA – In another pair of close battles with Azusa Pacific, Academy of Art University Softball came up just a few runs short, falling 6-4 and 6-3. The day began on an exciting note with an authoritative grand slam from Taylor Thurman, but several small rallies by the Cougars brought them back and eventually put them ahead. Game two was a one-run ballgame for the first half and, though APU went ahead 6-0, the Urban Knights countered with two rallies which saw Lauren Stover break the program's career RBI record and ART U bring the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh. It was not to be, however, as Azusa escaped with the win.

A single run by the Cougars in the first inning of game one was quickly overshadowed by the rally that developed from consecutive singles by Jessica West, Kamyle Glover, and Elyse Cordova. On a full count, Thurman proceeded to blast her fourth home run of the year, a grand slam, over the outfield fence, emphatically putting her team ahead 4-1.

Carlee Emerson got through a scoreless second inning, but APU made its first comeback attempt in the third on a steal of home (on the fake of a double steal) and an error that allowed a run to score. Cordova stood at second with no outs in the third following her single and stolen base, but three straight outs left her stranded.

In the fourth, the Cougars plated the tying run on another error to set up a 4-4 contest. Alexa Peters (2-4) exited the jam, but faced one more push by Azusa in the fifth that included back-to-back RBI hits for the 6-4 advantage. The teams combined for 11 consecutive outs to end the opener with the visitors on top.


The one unearned run Azusa Pacific scored in the first inning of game one held up until the fourth inning as Jill Johnson (7-9) got into her rhythm. However, the fourth was troublesome three walks, two singles, and wild pitches leading to three runs for the Cougars who now led 4-0.

APU's Carly Xepoleas (16-4) would get to the fifth without allowing a run though her exit opened the door for an Academy of Art comeback. However, the Knights would have to fight against the 6-0 deficit created after two more runs for Azusa in the sixth on Katrina Oviedo's homer.

In the bottom of the sixth, ART U loaded the bases on a Cordova walk, Jasmine Dickenson being hit by a pitch, and Elise Oldham's single. It created the perfect situation for Stover who needed two RBIs to surpass Alana Aweau as the new career RBI leader and she delivered promptly with a two-run single on the very first pitch of her at-bat. Those driven in would up her career total to 92.

The Urban Knights weren't through yet despite trailing 6-2 heading into the seventh. There, the bases were again loaded on West's walk then infield singles by Glover and Cordova. Thurman stepped to the plate what was the perfect scenario with her team down four, but the bat was taken out of her hands after she took a fastball to the left shoulder, walked to first, and West scored. It was now a 6-3 game with the bases still juiced, however, a strikeout and groundout ended the final opportunity for Academy of Art as APU completed the sweep with a 6-3 result.

ART U exits the weekend series with a 12-24 overall record (9-11 PacWest), but had its share of highlights on Saturday. Thurman was 1-for-3 with the homer and four RBIs in game one while Stover was 1-for-3 in each contest, adding her record-breaking two RBIs in the finale. Cordova had her team-leading 15th multi-hit game come after a pair of 2-for-3 performances that included two runs scored. Glover and West each had hits in both games at the top of the lineup, combining to go 5-for-11 with three runs scored.

Academy of Art returns to Mission Blue Field this Wednesday, Apr. 16 for its final non-conference doubleheader against Cal State East Bay. First pitch will be 12:00 PM of this rescheduled series that was previously rained out.