LAS VEGAS – Day two of the MSU Billings Desert Stinger saw more long ball highlights from Academy of Art University Softball as back-to-back home runs from freshman catcher Lauryn Henderson and senior infielder Samantha Klune propelled the Urban Knights to their first win of the year, an 11-5 triumph over SF State. In the second contest, ART U put together two late-game rallies that included the team's fourth homer of the year, but UC San Diego's two runs in the fifth-inning proved to be the difference in a 4-2 final score.

"Our team has been competing well all weekend and I think the offensive production especially with a freshman and a senior having back-to-back home runs really swayed the momentum in our favor against SF State," said head coach Sonja Garnett. "Our pitchers threw well today overall and it is really good to see them working as a team."

ART U 11, SFSU 5
Although Academy of Art put a runner into scoring position in each of the first two innings, it was SF State that struck first on a run-scoring groundout in the bottom of the first. When the Knights broke through in the third, it came on two successive blasts by Henderson and Klune each with two outs. Henderson brought in senior infielder Brenna Mitchell on a two-run homer, the first of her collegiate career, then Klune launched a solo shot into the left field corner to quickly shift the lead to ART U 3-1.

The Gators came back with manufactured run in their half of the third, but the Knights answered in the fourth with a leadoff walk by sophomore catcher Ryia Grant, a sacrifice bunt, and freshman infielder Jayda Alaan's first career run batted in on a single to right.

Entering the game in relief of freshman starter Cecilia Lopez (0-0) in the third, sophomore pitcher Hannah Rose Balke (1-1) got nine consecutive outs and, during that time, Academy of Art added five more runs including a RBI single from Mitchell in the sixth. ART U's 8-2 lead was threatened in the sixth, however, when SF State rallied for three runs, making it an 8-5 ballgame.

The Knights reasserted their strength in the seventh when Alaan drove in her second run of the contest with her second time hit by a pitch then sophomore infielder Gracie Sotomayor followed with a two-run double to make it 11-5. Balke would finish off the victory with her second strikeout in a clean bottom of the seventh.

UCSD 4, ART U 2
The Tritons gained an early advantage with a run-scoring double in the bottom of the first inning, but starter Brenna Mitchell (0-1), unfazed by the quick strike, responded by striking out four of the next five batters she faced, sitting all three down in the second.

Both sides were quiet offensively until the fourth when a leadoff homer gave UC San Diego a 2-0 lead. That margin was short-lived as Klune hit a one-out double in the fifth and Grant then added a two-out single to score her teammate. Though UCSD plated two more on a double in their half of the fifth, the Knights came back once more in the sixth inning with an opposite-field solo homer from Henderson (her second in as many games).

With their backs against the wall, Academy of Art started a two-out rally with a hit batter and sophomore outfielder Gabi Hirsch's second hit of the day to bring the winning run to the plate, but it was not to be this time and the Tritons prevailed 4-2.

Now 1-3 on the season, ART U was led offensively by Henderson's 2-for-4 day which included the two home runs and three runs batted in. Klune had her first homer of the year and was 3-for-7 in the pair of games with four runs scored. Mitchell went 3-for-4 with a double in the first contest, Hirsch was 2-for-2 in the second game, and the top of the order (Alaan and Sotomayor) had two RBIs apiece in the day's opener.

SF State fell to 0-3 with the loss, but got a pair of 2-for-4 outings with one RBI each from Michelle Castro and Sara Higa. UC San Diego's win was credited to Alanna Phillips (1-0) who went 4.2 innings and allowed one run on three hits with two strikeouts while Sherriah Harrington provided much of the offense, going 2-for-3 with a homer, double, and three RBIs.

Academy of Art will end their participation in this year's MSU Billings Desert Stinger tomorrow with a 2 p.m. matchup with Central Washington once again at Majestic Park. The Wildcats are 3-1 overall and come into the final day having scored nine runs or more in all four games they have played.