2017 All-PacWest Softball Team

IRVINE, Calif. – One of the youngest Academy of Art University Softball rosters yielded the largest number of 2017 All-PacWest Team honorees as six Urban Knights were chosen for postseason awards in the conference's announcement on Tuesday. Freshman pitcher Hannah Rose Balke (21-11) and freshman utility Dominique Seva'aetasi were each selected to the All-PacWest Second Team while senior outfielder Jessica West, freshman infielders Freddie Carrillo and Gracie Sotomayor, and sophomore infielder Brenna Youngquist earned All-PacWest Third Team honors.

"Each one of these athletes recognized by the PacWest Conference had a huge part in our success this year," said head coach Sonja Garnett. "These individuals personify what we want in a student-athlete: They have an undying work ethic, they love the game, and have a team-first mentality."

This season, the PacWest coaches or designated representatives from each school selected a total of 41 student-athletes for All-Conference accolades. The squad consisted of a First Team, Second Team, Third Team, as well as Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and Freshman of the Year.

A workhorse for Academy of Art in the rotation, Balke finished 2017 as the winningest pitcher in program history. She led the PacWest with 21 wins (three wins more than the next closest), 188.0 innings pitched (20 innings more than the next closest), was tied for the lead in complete games (26), and ranked third in strikeouts (133). The Oak Park, Calif. native ended with a 3.35 earned run average and had the third-lowest batting average against in ART U history (.241).

"Hannah Rose worked tirelessly this year for the team and was extremely effective and reliable in the circle," said Garnett. To set a single-season wins record as a freshman proved that she has a strong future ahead of her."

Recipient of two PacWest Pitcher of the Week honors (Mar. 13, Apr. 10), Balke highlighted the season with the first two no-hitters Academy of Art has ever seen versus NCAA Division II opponents. The first came against Notre Dame de Namur on Mar. 10 when she not only achieved the milestone in game two, but did so after 5.0 hitless and scoreless relief innings in game two. On Apr. 9, Balke did not allow a hit against in 5.0 innings against Holy Names.

Playing six different positions in 2017, Seva'aetasi was the epitome of a "super-sub" in her 42 games played. She spent 17 games in the outfield, 12 at first base, seven at shortstop, seven as the designated player, five at third base, and one at catcher. Despite a difficult first two months offensively, the Seaside, Calif. native came back strong with one of the hottest Aprils, ending with a .321 batting average, four doubles, two triples, 12 runs batted in, and 18 runs scored.

"Dominique had a challenging freshman year playing all over the field, but she stepped up to that challenge very maturely," said Garnett. "Offensively she was a huge contributor especially late in season as an integral part of our lineup."

Seva'aetasi raised her batting average over 100 points in April and highlighting the improvement was a 6-for-6 day with two triples and seven RBIs hosting Chaminade on Apr. 4. She would continue to hit against Holy Names that weekend and ended as the PacWest Player of the Week (ART U's lone selection of that kind in 2017). The freshman would go 10-for-12 during a six-game stretch in mid-April.

Concluding four years of performing at a high level with Academy of Art, West made 2017 arguably her best campaign to date. She led the team with 27 runs batted in (20th in PacWest), was tied for second in the conference with 14 doubles, ranked third in walks (31), and finished seventh in the PacWest with 18 stolen bases. The Portland, Ore. native became the program's career walks leader, patiently taking first 72 times after this season's career-high. She also became the program's leader in both games played (198) and tied for second in games started (194).

"JWest was a huge part of our team all year and a solid leader for us on and off the field as a team captain," said Garnett. "I'm very proud of what she accomplished this year and appreciative of the work ethic that she instilled in the whole team."

West's 15 multi-hit games led the team in 2017 and along the way she produced the longest reached base streak, getting aboard 17 times to start the year. Against BYU-Hawaii on Mar. 4, the Web Design & New Media major walked three times, becoming just the fifth player in program history ever to do so. On five occasions she drove in more than one run in a game and her 18 steals, which came consistently throughout the year, were the fifth-most in ART U's single-season history.

Though a freshman, Carrillo offered not only the team's highest batting average (.395), but also the sixth-highest in the PacWest in 2017. The San Jose, Calif. native drove in 24 of her teammates, scored 22 times, doubled on 10 occasions, and finished a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen bases. With just four strikeouts on the year, she ranked 31st in the country in toughest to strike out. Additionally, she was 12th in the conference with 89 assists defensively.

"Freddie consistently proved to be a tough out this year and was resilient through a couple of different injuries," said Garnett. "She was very solid on defense for us and played like an upperclassman."

From Feb. 17 to Mar. 10, Carrillo enjoyed the longest hitting streak of any Urban Knight during the year, registering hits in 14 consecutive games. Her average stood at .351 at the conclusion of that stretch and yet it only increased as she moved into April. A 4-for-5 performance against Simon Fraser on Mar. 31 and she went 7-for-15 in ART U's final two local PacWest road series. Carrillo, who was named PacWest Freshman of the Week on Mar. 6, concluded the year with the seventh-highest batting average in Academy of Art's single-season history.

Not far from Carrillo around the Urban Knights' infield, Sotomayor, a fellow freshman, provided vitally consistent play as well. Atop the batting order essentially all year, the Delano, Calif. native hit .325 with 35 runs scored (13th in PacWest), 20 RBIs, 14 stolen bases (13th in PacWest), 12 doubles (10th in PacWest), and started all 50 games (she and West were the only ART U players to do so). She posted 13 multi-hit games as well.

"Gracie really stepped up in pressure situations and often came up clutch with the game on the line," said Garnett. "A workhorse on offense and defense, Gracie did everything she could to get the job done to the best of her ability."

Beginning with just her second collegiate gameday, Sotomayor opened a nine-game hitting streak then offered her first game-winning RBI with a double in the ninth inning against Dominican on Feb. 23. In a bit of déjà vu versus Notre Dame de Namur on Mar. 10, the Art Education major once more provided a walk-off hit, singling in the 10th inning to break a 1-1 tie. Sotomayor would be named PacWest Freshman of the Week on Feb. 20.

One of six consistent starters to hit over .320 this season, Youngquist was an important fixture at first base for Academy of Art. She wielded a .325 batting average along with 24 runs batted in, three home runs, and 18 runs scored. The Buena Park, Calif. native also owned the second-highest fielding percentage on the team at .978 (17th in the PacWest).

"Brenna emerged as a leader and as an athlete this year," said Garnett. "She really found confidence at the plate and did a great job at first base for us."

After a 3-for-3 performance against Azusa Pacific on Mar. 16 brought Youngquist's batting average to .303, she kept it above .300 from Mar. 29 through the rest of the season. A clutch three-run homer in the seventh inning against UH Hilo on Mar. 26 gave her a season-high four RBIs in that contest and later she would go deep once more during a 6-for-8 day against Chaminade on Apr. 4. A total of 10 of her 24 RBIs came in the month of April.

This is the second All-PacWest honor in West's career and the first in the careers of Balke, Seva'aetasi, Youngquist, Sotomayor, and Carrillo.

"With five of these six honorees being underclassmen, it keeps us very excited about our future," said Garnett.