KNIGHT WATCH
With all teams now having played a relatively similar number of games, Academy of Art University remains third in the PacWest standings in batting average (.314). They are now tied with California Baptist for third in doubles (58) and have also moved up to fourth in both runs scored (182) and runs batted in (158) after the Tournament of Champions. Continuing a legendary senior season, outfielder Haily MacDonald comes in as the PacWest Co-Player of the Week after hitting .560 with 10 stolen bases as a member of the All-Tournament Team. Her nine-game hitting streak has seen her stay second in the PacWest (51st in NCAA Division II) with a .455 batting average. She set multiple records along the way, claiming the program's single-game steals record with five against Simon Fraser on Mar. 28 then earning the single-season steals record (22) and career triples record (8) in the same game versus UH Hilo on Mar. 31. MacDonald is the 26th toughest hitter to strikeout in the country and ranks second in the conference in stolen bases (34th nationally). She would need 10 more steals to become ART U's career record holder. Her 17 multi-hit games put her seven from setting the program record and, with 36 runs scored this year (fourth in PacWest), she continues to close in on Elyse Cordova's all-time record (136); now 15 from tying it with 121 in her career.

Senior infielder Taylor Thurman has wielded a hot bat as well, hitting .359 to remain Top 20 in the conference. She is sixth in the PacWest in RBIs with 30 and eight doubles this season brings her to 37 in her career, five back of Lauren Stover's career record (42). Thurman carries a seven-game hitting streak and, perhaps more impressively, has reached base in each of her last 12 games (one shy of Jessica West's season-best mark). Junior catcher Elise Oldham raised her batting average to .333 this past week and smacked her team-best sixth home run against UH Hilo. She has put herself five home runs from tying Alana Aweau's single-season record (11) and is not far behind Thurman with 27 RBIs this year (11th in PacWest).

Senior infielder Kamyle Glover joined an elite group of Urban Knights (Aweau, Andrea Hanchey, Julie Martin) after walking three times against the Vulcans and has 12 on the year to go with a .328 batting average. Her 11 doubles lead the team (fifth in PacWest) and put her five from tying Stover's single-season record (16). The trio of Nirana Singh (.321), sophomore outfielder Jessica West (.308) and freshman infielder Samantha Klune (.308) make up the other Urban Knights hitting over. 300 and each of those individuals have at least 14 runs scored, seven doubles, and 13 RBIs.

Freshman Brenna Mitchell (13-10) recently moved into a tie for second on the program's single-season wins list behind the record 19 from Sierrah Garcia back in 2010. Mitchell ranks sixth in the PacWest in victories (the sixth most by a freshman in the country) and is second in the conference with 91 strikeouts (eighth-most by a freshman in NCAA DII) all while sporting a 3.65 ERA (10th in PacWest). She is six complete games away from tying Sierrah Garcia's single-season record as well. Sophomore Alexa Peters (4-9) has dropped her ERA recently after not allowing more than two earned runs in her past four appearances (14.1 innings) and sporting the best ERA (3.32) of any ART U pitcher in the Tournament of Champions.

ANOTHER PAIR WITH THE PENGUINS
Splitting their first matchup with Academy of Art back on Mar. 14 in Brisbane, Dominican had since gone 1-8 until a sweep of Chaminade most recently on Mar. 31. The Penguins are currently eighth of 11 teams in the PacWest standings with a 6-12 conference record and are slated to play Notre Dame de Namur on Apr. 3 prior to their rematch with the Knights. Catlyn Cavender, who had a hit in each of the games against ART U this season, is hitting .372 with the second-most home runs in the PacWest (8) and a team-high 24 RBIs. Katelyn Harden (5-9), owner of a three-hit shutout versus Academy of Art last time, comes in having started 14 games with a 3.51 ERA in 81.2 innings pitched. ART U holds a 19-5 advantage over the Penguins all-time.

GETTING THE GATORS AGAIN
San Francisco State's year began with a 3-2 loss to Academy of Art back on Feb. 11 and, though the Gators topped Holy Names later that same day, they hit a 12-game losing streak thereafter, falling to UC San Diego, UH Hilo, and Humboldt State (ranked #20 at the time). Since then, SFSU has split with Chico State, been swept by Cal State Dominguez Hills, swept HNU, took one of three from Cal State San Bernardino, split with Western Oregon, then defeated only Chaminade in six games at the Tournament of Champions. SF State is led offensively by a pair of identical batting averages (.357) from Sara Higa and Delanie Chrisman. Jennifer Lewis has provided many of the counting stats with a .312 batting average, 17 runs scored, three home runs and 11 RBIs. Megan Clark (3-11) has handled 89.0 innings and has a 3.22 ERA through 15 starts. The Urban Knights are historically 5-5 versus the Gators.

COMEBACK LEADS KNIGHTS TO SPLIT WITH HILO
Hosting UH Hilo on a windy day out at Mission Blue Field on Mar. 31, ART U split with the Vulcans in Pacific West Conference play. The Urban Knights rallied for four runs in the fifth inning of game one to come from behind in a 4-2 victory. In game two, early offense from both sides carried through to a 9-8 win for the visitors. Sophomore outfielder  Jessica West broke the game one tie with a key hit and senior outfielder  Haily MacDonald set multiple records in the finale, becoming the program's leader in both steals for a single season and career triples.

LOOKING AHEAD
Plenty of home-cooking awaits Academy of Art in this month of April. Next Saturday, Apr. 11, starts a 10-game homestand with Holy Names up first. The PacWest twinbill gets started at 12:00 p.m. at Mission Blue Field.