BRISBANE, Calif. – In the first-ever meeting of Academy of Art University softball and Concordia, it was the Eagles who earned a sweep. A strong defensive effort led by junior pitcher
Hunter Allen (2-7) kept game one close, but late rallies gave CUI the 3-1 win then a big third inning in game two resulted in a 12-1 victory after five innings. The Urban Knights welcomed many of their friends from San Francisco Little League to Mission Blue Field on Saturday as well.
GAME ONEA pitchers' duel from the outset, the opening matchup pit Concordia's Grayson Harvey (18-4) against Allen and neither side would allow more than one base-runner in any of the first three innings. In the fifth, Hannah Howell put the Eagles ahead 2-0 on a two-run homer, but Allen continued to pitch well and kept her team within striking distance going into the final frame.
The CUI lead was 3-0 moving to the bottom of the seventh where ART U began to execute a comeback. A two-out walk to junior outfielder
Hallie Curtis was aided by a single from freshman infielder
Jennifer Thompson. After freshman infielder
Juliana Lopez delivered one on a bases-loaded single, the Knights had a chance for more, but a popout ended the game with the Eagles on top 3-1.
GAME TWO
Capitalizing on an error in the first inning, Academy of Art put two into scoring position before sophomore infielder
Samantha Klune drove one in on a productive groundout. The 1-0 lead did not last, however, as the Eagles plated two on a Megan Feuerstein single in the second inning.
Feuerstein would strike again in the third, doubling home three during an eight-run rally that saw just one earned run following an error. Concordia's 10-1 advantage became 12-1 after a pair of runs in the fifth and that score held up the rest of the way.
The day's results put ART U at 15-26-1 overall and an even 11-11 in conference play. Lopez finished the opener 2-for-4 with a run batted in while Allen turned in her third complete game of the season with just three runs allowed on eight hits and two strikeouts through 7.0 innings pitched. Six Knights had hits in game two including Klune's 1-for-2 performance with a RBI.
Concordia has moved into a tie with Azusa Pacific for third in the PacWest standings at 15-5 and 34-9 overall. Harvey picked up the win in game one, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts in 7.0 innings then BethAnn McCann (11-2) won the second game with one run allowed on four hits in 3.0 innings and two strikeouts.
Academy of Art turns around and hosts Dixie State tomorrow, Apr. 17, in another doubleheader beginning at noon.
