KNIGHT WATCH
Collectively batting .331 (second only to #7 Dixie State in the PacWest), Academy of Art has eight individuals batting over .300 (all among the top 45 in the conference). All 10 ART U hitters with regular at-bats have hit for extra bases at least once with 44 in total and have been on pace to hit a home run in every other game thus far. With a total of nine multi-hit games and a five-game hitting streak after going 6-for-7 at Humboldt State, senior outfielder Haily MacDonald is leading the squad with a .420 batting average that ranks ninth in the PacWest. With five runs scored in her past six games, she has become the second Urban Knight to eclipse triple digits for her career (103).

Next in line are the Urban Knights top two run producers in senior infielder Taylor Thurman (15 RBIs) and grad student catcher Nirana Singh (16 RBIs). Thurman is hitting .381, Singh sits at .370 with a team-high four home runs, and both have driven in multiple runs on five separate occasions apiece. Thurman also continues to move closer to Lauren Stover's career doubles record (42) with five this year giving the junior 34 for her career (second all-time). Senior infielder Kamyle Glover is batting .368 with a team-high 19 runs scored in 19 games played. Junior catcher Elise Oldham homered twice in the past three games including a grand-slam versus Holy Names and now has 13 RBIs with a .339 batting average.

Sophomore infielder Jessica West carries a team-best 11-game streak of reaching base and is up to a .333 clip at the plate. She was responsible for sparking both of ART U's big rallies against Holy Names. Rounding out those hitters above .300 are senior infielder Jasmine Dickenson (.322), one of six players with double-digit runs scored (10), and freshman outfielder Samantha Klune (.319), who is currently riding six-game hit streak.

Heading into this week, freshman Brenna Mitchell (7-4) ranked 35th in the country in total victories and it is her 2.93 ERA (ninth in PacWest) that paces the team. She has thrown 69.1 innings with seven complete games (sixth in PacWest) and the fourth-most strikeouts in the conference (35).

NOTRE DAME NOTABLES
Notre Dame de Namur opened its 2015 campaign 1-3, but proceeded to win three of five at the Montana State-Billings Desert Stinger. That momentum carried into the start of PacWest play as the Argos took three of four from Azusa Pacific. After two losses to California Baptist, NDNU swept Dominican by a combined score of 14-0 then most recently experienced a rough Washington roadtrip in which Saint Martin's defeated the Argos in three of four and Seattle University swept a doubleheader. Notre Dame de Namur is led by Alessand Giannavola's .420 batting average and 16 runs scored while five Argonauts have double-digit RBIs with Cheyenne Koki's 14 in front. Defensively, Jenna Bassler (5-3) is just ahead of Brenna Mitchell with a 2.65 ERA though 66.0 innings of work. In a total of 26 meetings to date, the Knights and Argos are tied with 13 wins apiece.

A CHILLY START
After four losses started Dominican's season, the Penguins' first win of the year came 4-2 hosting UH Hilo in the start to PacWest play. Dominican would fall in its next eight conference games which included pairings with Dixie State and NDNU, but managed to split with Central Washington, taking a 3-0 victory. The Penguins swept Holy Names on Mar. 8 before dropping a pair to No. 3 Cal State Monterey Bay on Mar. 10. Katelyn Harden leads the team offensively with a .388 batting average while Catlyn Cavender's six home runs lead the PacWest. Harden (3-5) is also Dominican's ERA leader (4.49), having thrown two shutouts in 43.2 innings of work. Historically, Academy of Art holds an 18-4 advantage all-time against the Penguins.

BATS WORK HARD AT #19 HSU, BUT JACKS PREVAIL
Matching up with its first ranked opponent of the year on Mar. 9, Academy of Art University Softball showed that its offense can hang with anyone. Despite a seven-run eruption early in game one, ART U ended up losing its lead late and fell to No. 19 Humboldt State, 11-10 and 9-0, on the road.

LOOKING AHEAD
Next week, ART U will face two ranked teams in No. 17 California Baptist (Mar. 18) and No. 7 Dixie State (Mar. 20-21) as the Urban Knights travel to Riverside then St. George, Utah.