Games #17 & 18
ART U Urban Knights (9-7, 3-1 PWC) vs. NDNU Argonauts (3-5, 3-3 PWC)
Friday, March 10, 2017 at 11 a.m. & 1 p.m.
Brisbane, Calif. – Mission Blue Field
Live Stats

Games #19 & 20
ART U Urban Knights (9-7, 3-1 PWC) vs. California Baptist Lancers (10-7, 4-2 PWC)
Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 5 & 7 p.m.
Riverside, Calif. – John C. Funk Stadium
Live Stats & Video

Games #21 & 22
ART U Urban Knights (9-7, 3-1 PWC) vs. Azusa Pacific Cougars (15-6, 7-1 PWC)
Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 4 & 6 p.m.
Azusa, Calif. – Cougar Softball Field
Live Stats & Video

Games #23 & 24
ART U Urban Knights (9-7, 3-1 PWC) vs. Concordia Eagles (16-8-2, 6-3 PWC)
Saturday, March 18, 2017 at Noon & 2 p.m.
Irvine, Calif. – Eagles Field
Live Stats & Video

Games #24 & 25
ART U Urban Knights (9-7, 3-1 PWC) vs. Concordia Eagles (16-8-2, 6-3 PWC)
Sunday, March 19, 2017 at Noon & 2 p.m.
Irvine, Calif. – Eagles Field
Live Stats & Video
 

ART U ENDS HOMESTAND WITH NDNU, FACES CBU, APU, CUI DOWN SOUTH
Currently 3-1 in Pacific West Conference play, Academy of Art University softball commences a busy week this Friday with Notre Dame de Namur in town for a rain-rescheduled doubleheader. That series gives way to an eight-game roadtrip through Southern California to face three teams among the conference standings' top five in California Baptist, Azusa Pacific, and Concordia.

FIRST PITCH
This Friday, Mar. 10, ART U plays host to Notre Dame de Namur at Mission Blue Field in an 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. doubleheader. Then, Tuesday, Mar. 14 sees Academy of Art begin its SoCal roadtrip at California Baptist's John C. Funk Stadium under the lights (5 p.m. and 7 p.m.) in Riverside. Two days later on Mar. 16, the Knights tangle with Azusa Pacific at Cougar Softball Field starting at 4 p.m. ART U's trip concludes with noon doubleheaders on back-to-back days, Mar. 18-19, at Concordia's Eagles Field. Live coverage will be available via the links above. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights on Twitter & Instagram and "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Just two teams in the PacWest are hitting above .315 and Academy of Art is one of them. Collectively batting .319, ART U is second in the conference behind No. 12 Dixie State and also now second in doubles (34). Infielder Freddie Carrillo picked up PacWest Freshman of the Week honors and remains the team's leader with a .373 average good for 22nd in the conference and seven doubles (tied for third in PacWest). Helping the Urban Knights move up to fourth in stolen bases, senior outfielder Jessica West is hitting .356 with eight steals thus far to rank seventh in the conference. Junior infielder Samantha Klune tied ART U's season-best with three hits in one game against BYU-Hawaii and is now hitting .346 with 10 runs batted in. The squad's RBI leader, however, is freshman infielder Gracie Sotomayor with 11 plus a .321 average that has her tied with sophomore utility Juliana Lopez. Freshman outfielder Gabi Hirsch's .316 clip rounds out the six Knights hitting over .300.

Freshman pitcher Hannah Rose Balke (6-3) comes off tossing a three-hit shutout versus BYU-Hawaii and now has her earned run average down to an even 3.00 (17th in the PacWest). On the season, her 53.2 innings pitched and 34 strikeouts are both fourth in the conference. She has kept with other top pitchers in the PacWest and is tied for third in wins with six.

IF YOU'RE GONNA AR-GO…
Notre Dame de Namur finds itself 3-5 overall this year after being swept by Northwest Nazarene, sweeping Holy Names, falling twice to BYU-Hawaii, and splitting with Dominican. Currently ranked eighth in the conference in batting average, Cynthia Ream-Garcia is hitting .438 with four runs batted in. Erin Powers (1-1) boasts a 2.94 ERA through 16.2 innings pitched. ART U and NDNU continue a saga that has the Argos slightly ahead 18-15 all-time.

LANCE UP AND DOWN
Coming off a 42-win season and trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2016, California Baptist was ranked earlier in the year, but has since fallen out with a 10-7 overall record. Following a 1-4 Desert Stinger with a 3-1 Dixie State Tournament, the Lancers' highlight of the year was their sweep of No. 7 Adelphi before sweeping Concordia and Holy Names, but getting swept by Azusa Pacific. CBU is set to face Dominican on Mar. 9. Caitlyn Lloyd is the Lancers' top hitter with a .423 average plus four home runs while Ciara Staap (4-3) offers the lowest ERA at 2.14 with 23 strikeouts in 39.1 innings pitched. Historically, California Baptist holds a 12-2 all-time lead against Academy of Art.

COMING TO COUGARTOWN
Currently atop the PacWest standings with a 7-1 conference record, Azusa Pacific went 4-1 in the Desert Stinger, split with Saint Martin's, Biola, UC San Diego, Adelphi, and Cal State San Marcos before sweeping CBU, Chaminade, and taking three of four from Hawaii Pacific. APU is slated to finish its Hawaii roadtrip at UH Hilo on Mar. 11 before facing the Knights. The Cougars are second in the conference in stolen bases (39) paced by the PacWest leader Illiana Jimenez and her 21 thefts plus a .367 batting average. A truly dominant pitching staff for APU (collective 1.88 ERA) is led by Kat Ung (3-1) and Carly Xeploeas (3-2) who offer ERAs of 1.09 and 1.15 respectively. The historical Academy of Art and Azusa Pacific series has seen several exciting contests and it is APU who holds a 7-6 all-time lead.

ENTERING THE EAGLES' NEST
After debuting in the PacWest with 42 wins and a virtually unstoppable offense last season, Concordia comes in currently fourth in the standings with a 6-3 record. The Eagles went 3-2 in the Desert Stinger, took three of four in Dixie State's Tournament, and since won plus tied with Biola and Adelphi, were swept by Colorado School of Mines, and swept Arizona Christian, Chaminade, and won three of four against UH Hilo. CUI is set to finish its Hawaii roadtrip at BYU-Hawaii on Mar. 11 then plays Vanguard on Mar. 17 before ART U. Like Azusa, pitching has been Concordia's top statistical category (collective 1.96 ERA) with Jordan Quinn (2-2) and Grayson Harvey (7-4) both offering sub-1.85 ERAs while Alyssa Turner's .377 batting average and eight doubles have presented the team's largest offensive threat. The Knights and Eagles have met just twice previously (in 2016) and CUI won both contests.

ART U PLATES 16, LIMITS BYUH IN SWEEP
Academy of Art University softball turned in two of its best all-around performances on Mar. 4 hosting BYU-Hawaii at Mission Blue Field. Sophomore True Park struck out a career-high seven batters and a four-run sixth inning led the Urban Knights to an 8-1 victory in game one before freshman Hannah Rose Balke shut out the Seasiders while ART U stole eight bases and scored in every inning en route to a five-inning 8-0 victory to complete the sweep.

LOOKING AHEAD
When the Knights return from Southern California, they will host two PacWest Hawaii schools with UH Hilo in town Mar. 25-26 and Hawaii Pacific following on Mar. 29.