Game #25
ART U Urban Knights (9-15) vs. Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes (20-15)
Friday, April 4, 2014 at 8:45 AM
Turlock, CA – Pedretti Park (Field 1)
Game #26
ART U Urban Knights (9-15) vs. Northwest Nazarene Crusaders (8-21)
Friday, April 4, 2014 at 11:15 AM
Turlock, CA – Pedretti Park (Field 3)
Game #27
ART U Urban Knights (9-15) vs. Cal State Monterey Bay Otters (26-5)
Friday, April 4, 2014 at 3:30 PM
Turlock, CA – Pedretti Park (Field 1)
Game #28
ART U Urban Knights (9-15) vs. Sonoma State Seawolves (23-11)
Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 10:00 AM
Turlock, CA – Turlock Sports Complex
Game #29
ART U Urban Knights (9-15) vs. San Francisco State Gators (10-25)
Saturday, April 5, 2014 at 12:00 PM
Turlock, CA – Turlock Sports Complex
KNIGHTS HEAD TO TURLOCK FOR FINAL ROAD SWING BEYOND BAYFollowing a week off from competition, Academy of Art University Softball enters the Tournament of Champions presented by Turlock Convention & Visitors Bureau for the second consecutive year this weekend. The Urban Knights are set to rematch several CCAA opponents as well as two new matchups in what figures to be six games played in three days.
FIRST PITCHOn Friday, Apr. 4, ART U starts the Tournament of Champions with a tripleheader featuring Cal State San Bernardino (8:45 AM at Pedretti Park – Field 1), Northwest Nazarene (11:15 AM at Pedretti Park – Field 3), and Cal State Monterey Bay (3:30 PM at Pedretti Park – Field 1). Day two, Saturday, Apr. 5, features a twinbill with Sonoma State (10:00 AM at Turlock Sports Complex) and SF State (12:00 PM at Turlock Sports Complex). The final day, Sunday, Apr. 6, currently has opponent TBA as it is based on how the teams fare on the days prior. Live stats may or may not be available depending on the games in the tournament so check the
now ranks fourth in the Pacific West Conference in batting average, sporting a sparkling .457 clip. She is the owner of not only an eight-game hit streak, but also a six-game span of at least two runs scored (eight games with at least one run) and a 12-game span of having reached base. With an eight-game hit streak of her own,
Taylor Thurman is now hitting .387 and has driven in at least one teammate in each of her last six contests (an impressive 16 in total).
Elyse Cordova has added nearly 70 points to her batting average over the last two weeks, now up to .391 riding a seven-game hit streak. Four of her seven doubles have come in her last six games and she has also scored eight of her 18 runs in that time.
Haily MacDonald has offered multi-hit games in her last three starts and it is her next hit that will be her 100th in her three-year career. She leads the team with 20 runs scored and carries a seven-game streak of at least one time touching home plate. After driving in three against Holy Names most recently,
Lauren Stover needs just five more RBIs to tie Alana Aweau for the all-time career lead.
In the circle,
Jill Johnson (5-7) has shown her effectiveness as both a starter and reliever, totaling a 4.14 ERA with 42 strikeouts and two saves across 69.1 innings pitched.
Alexa Peters (1-1) follows with a 4.25 ERA in 29.2 innings pitched while
Carlee Emerson (3-7) has put forth 55.2 innings pitched in nine starts.
COYOTES CALLINGAt 20-15 overall, Cal State San Bernardino has had its ups and downs this season so far. The Coyotes' longest losing streak was four games while their most consecutive wins have been three. After scoring 16 runs in two victories over UH Hilo on Mar. 26, CSUSB split both days of its four-game stint against Chico State, including a shutout and being shut out on Mar. 28. Two Coyote hitters are above a .400 average as Nicole Nobbe (.486) leads the team with 12 doubles and Tiffany McIntosh (.408) has a CSUSB-best 12 homers. Of their three pitchers to throw this season, Cassandra Williams (11-7) is atop the list, sporting a 2.55 ERA with 73 strikeouts in 109.2 innings pitched. Defensively, Jenna Bassler (8-6) guides the squad in the circle, offering a 3.33 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 96.2 innings pitched thus far. Friday will be the first-ever meeting between Academy of Art and Cal State San Bernardino.
CRUSADERS STAND INNorthwest Nazarene brings in an 8-21 record this weekend and has lost seven of its last eight contests. After defeating Menlo College in three of four to start the year, the Crusaders have been competitive (on just three occasions have they not scored), but sustained losing streaks of five and six games prior to their recent skid. Western Oregon was responsible for NNU's latest sweep and Northwest Nazarene is slated to play Chaminade prior to facing Academy of Art. Justine Callen (.333, 11 R, 9 2B, 17 RBI) and Brianna Kinghorn (.329, 4 HR, 20 RBI) are the Crusaders' two top offensive elements and Noelle Wright (3-12, 112.0 IP, 68 K) has handled the bulk of the work in the circle. Historically, the teams have met just once prior to this Friday with ART U taking a 14-4 victory from NNU back in February 2011 as part of the Desert Stinger Tournament.
BRINGING BACK A DIFFERENT BAYRanked #15 on the most recent NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, Cal State Monterey Bay initiated a nine-game win streak with its two victories over ART U in a Mar. 5 doubleheader that was rescheduled to Seaside. After sweeping Cal State East Bay and Holy Names, CSUMB took three of four from Cal State Stanislaus then swept Pace University and SF State. The Otters have both Central Washington (Apr. 2) and Hawaii Pacific on the schedule prior to Academy of Art. As the team's two hitters over .400, Bianca Noreiga (.467, 18 R, 15 2B, 26 RBI) and Alissa Greenhaw (.439, 12 R, 11 RBI) have guided the team thus far with Cori Reinhardt (11-3, 1.56 ERA, 99.0 IP, 71 K) and Lindsey Clarkson (13-2, 1.80 ERA, 85.2 IP, 82 K) getting it done defensively. CSUMB holds a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series with Academy of Art.
SEAWOLVES AMID THE SWELLSonoma State took a pair from ART U back on Feb. 19 and went 16-8 since that time to produce their 23-11 overall record heading into the Tournament of Champions. Of the seven series the Seawolves have played since Academy of Art, they have earned sweeps of Cal State Dominguez Hills, Pace, and Cal State Stanislaus. Prior to meeting the Knights once again, SSU will face Western Washington on Apr. 3 as well as Notre Dame de Namur, and Hawaii Pacific in the tournament. Atop the offensive categories is Megan Konieczka who is hitting .450 with 10 doubles, 10 home runs, three triples, 37 RBIs, 16 steals, and 24 runs scored. Amanda Llerena (14-7, 1.86 ERA, 139.0 IP, 118 K), who threw 4.0 scoreless innings against ART U previously, leads the CCAA in wins thus far. In the all-time matchup, Sonoma State leads the Knights 9-1.
GATORS RESURFACEWhen Academy of Art faced SF State at Mission Blue Field on Feb. 12 of this year, the teams split with SFSU taking a 1-0 win in the opener before ART U used a three-run third to win game two 3-2. Since that time, the Gators have struggled, going 6-22 as CCAA play began thereafter. Coming into the tournament (where they will play California Baptist, Chaminade, and NDNU prior to the Knights), SF State has just one win in its last eight games and most recently got swept by Cal State Monterey Bay on Mar. 28-29. SFSU is led by Courtney Gravel (.364, 19 R, 4 SB) and Jennifer Lewis (.363, 16 R, 8 2B, 14 RBI) offensively while Megan Clark (4-9) has paved the way in the pitchers' circle, posting a 3.14 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 87.0 innings pitched. In the historical matchup, the teams are an even 3-3.
SOFTBALL OUTSCORES HOLY NAMES 14-3 IN SWEEPRiding the wave of some high-scoring games in Hawaii, ART U Softball rallied many times on
Mar. 28, tallying nearly 30 hits in a doubleheader sweep at Holy Names. Academy of Art got ahead early in the opener with a pair of three-run surges in the first four innings en route to an 8-1 victory. Then, a four-run third in the finale helped the Urban Knights wrap up a 6-2 win.
ON DECKWith the weekend complete, Academy of Art will embark upon a stretch of 20 games in 19 days beginning Apr. 9 when the Knights host Holy Names at Mission Blue Field. Of the 20 contests, 18 will be played at home.
