BRISBANE, Calif. – Opening Day had its share of highlights as Academy of Art University softball split with San Francisco State, winning game one 4-3 behind productive at-bats from freshman outfielder Gaby Hirsch, freshman infielder Freddie Carrillo, and senior outfielder Hallie Curtis as well as strong pitching by senior Alexa Peters (0-0) and freshman Hannah Rose Balke (1-0). Although Carrillo helped the Urban Knights get on the board early in game two, a pitchers' duel between sophomore True Park (0-1) and Lindsey Cassidy (1-0) ensued. The Gators ended up scoring twice in each of the final two innings to win 4-1 at Mission Blue Field on Wednesday.

GAME 1
After a scoreless first inning, ART U offered a three singles and a walk to get on the board in the bottom of the second. With the bases loaded, Hirsch legged out an infield single to not only get her first collegiate hit, but also drive in a run to start her career. Peters wrapped up her third scoreless inning with a strikeout before the Knights rallied on Carrillo's two-run single with the bases once again filled in the bottom of the third.

SF State responded by getting one run in the fourth after a leadoff triple and shortened the Academy of Art margin to 3-2 with a run-scoring double in the fifth. Though the Gators had the tying run at third with no outs in that inning, Balke, who had relieved Peters in the fourth, managed to induce three straight flyouts, the last of which was an impressive snag by Hirsch in left.

A clutch pinch-hit RBI single came off the bat of Curtis in the fifth after Carrillo's double and ART U had pushed back a 4-2 advantage. SF State made things interesting in the seventh when Kasie Trezona launched a solo home run, but Balke and the ART U outfield continued to make plays and finished off the 4-3 win. Peters and Balke would essentially split the game, throwing 3.1 and 3.2 innings respectively, with Peters allowing one run while striking out three and Balke picking up the relief win with two runs allowed.

GAME 2
In the bottom of the first inning, the bases were loaded on two walks and a hit batter to begin the inning and Carrillo obliged with a run-scoring single to center. That 1-0 lead remained through the next five innings of what became a duel between Park and Cassidy. Park allowed just two hits in that span, but Cassidy did not allow any baserunners other than a pair of walks.

The sixth saw Gabby Reta send a two-run homer to left, taking the Gators from behind 1-0 to in front 2-1 with one swing of the bat. Reta produced runs again in the seventh with a double that plated two and the momentum remained firmly with SF State en route to the 4-1 victory.

Academy of Art begins its 2017 campaign with a 1-1 record after the day's results. Carrillo is hitting .429 (3-for-7) with three RBIs and the team's lone double thus far while Hirsch went 2-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored.

SF State is also 1-1 to start the year and relied heavily on Reta's 5-for-8 day that included a home run, two doubles, and four RBIs. Megan Clark (0-1) was dealt the loss in the opener after allowing four runs on nine hits while Cassidy earned the complete-game victory with one run allowed on two hits and a single strikeout in the finale.

ART U looks ahead to this Friday, Feb. 3 for its next contests with Cal State East Bay coming to Mission Blue Field for a doubleheader beginning at noon.