BRISBANE, Calif. – Not backing down from an Azusa Pacific team currently third in the Pacific West Conference standings, Academy of Art University softball earned a split on Tuesday out at Mission Blue Field. After senior outfielder
Andrea Gill tied the opener 1-1 in the fourth, freshmen infielders
Juliana Lopez and
Brenna Youngquist each drove in runs during a fifth inning rally while sophomore pitcher
Brenna Mitchell (10-8) turned in another impressive complete game for the 4-1 victory. The Cougars would fight back with consistent offense during a 12-1 game two win in five innings.
GAME ONE
The day began with a leadoff walk turning into trouble as APU's Illiana Jimenez managed to steal home later in the first inning. Though the Cougars would threaten with runners in scoring position again in the second-fourth innings, Mitchell was able to either strikeout the final batter or rely on the defense behind her to keep it a one-run ballgame.
In the fourth, Academy of Art used its own leadoff walk to start a rally as sophomore infielder
Samantha Klune singled Mitchell to third before Gill fought through a tough at-bat and delivered her teammate to tie things up 1-1. A big double play combining freshman infielders
Jennifer Thompson and
Juliana Lopez then provided momentum for ART U to go ahead in the fifth.
After Thompson walked to start, junior outfielder
Jessica West singled and Thompson's aggressive base-running got her to third. Lopez then dropped down a bunt for the suicide squeeze to score Thompson and a throwing error then brought in West. One batter thereafter, Youngquist drove in Lopez, giving her squad a 4-1 advantage moving into the late innings.
Mitchell and the Knights would shut the door as seven of the final eight batters were retired to preserve the 4-1 victory. A full 7.0 innings in the circle earned Mitchell her 10th complete game as she allowed just one run on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts for the win.
GAME TWOAzusa Pacific's bats awoke right away in the second game with three hits producing one run in the first inning before a sizeable rally in the second. The Cougars touched home plate five times on a two-run single by Preseason PacWest Player of the Year Nicki Sprague followed immediately by Madison Hernandez's three-run homer and the visitors led 6-0 heading to the bottom of the second.
ART U would get one back by taking advantage of an outfield error after Klune's leadoff single, however, APU built on its lead with three more in the third. The Knights best chance to mount a comeback came when they loaded the bases in the fourth, but it was not to be and the Cougars responded with three more in the fifth, helping them finish a run-ruled 12-1 win.
Currently sixth in the PacWest standings, Academy of Art is now 11-9 in conference play and 15-24-1 overall. Klune continued to wield a hot bat, going 3-for-5 to make her now 7-for-10 in her last four games and the owner of a five-game hitting streak. West finished the day 3-for-6 with a double and a run batted in while Lopez was 2-for-5 with a RBI as well.
Taking just its fourth PacWest loss of the year, Azusa Pacific completed Tuesday 27-9 overall and 14-4 in conference. Hernandez was 3-for-7 with a home run and four RBIs in the series while Sprague went 4-for-7 with three RBIs. Carly Xepoleas (10-5) picked up the game two victory with one unearned run allowed in 4.0 innings with two strikeouts. Ariana von Zboray (8-2) was dealt her second loss of the year after surrendering three runs on six hits in 4.0 innings of game one.
Academy of Art now turns its attention to the newest member of the PacWest Conference: Concordia. The Knights and Eagles will meet for the first time ever this Saturday, Apr. 16 at Mission Blue Field with first pitch of the doubleheader set for noon.
