BRISBANE, Calif. – Academy of Art University Softball had a memorable 2018 debut out at Mission Blue Field on Wednesday, sweeping Cal State East Bay in a pair of exciting wins. In its home opener, the Urban Knights rode another stellar pitching performance from the PacWest Freshman of the Week Brooke Larsen (2-1) who allowed no earned runs in a complete game effort while her team posted a pair of two-run rallies in the first two innings for what would be a 5-2 victory. Despite trailing for much of the second contest, ART U delivered five runs in the final two innings including a game-winning suicide bunt single from sophomore utility Dominique Seva'aetasi for the 5-4 triumph and a sweep.

GAME 1 - ART U 5, CSUEB 2
Both teams rallied in the first inning to start the day with the Pioneers getting an unearned run on an error and a single before freshman catcher Lauryn Henderson cashed in two on her single after freshman infielder Jayda Alaan and sophomore infielder Gracie Sotomayor both walked ahead of her.

The Urban Knights' lead became 4-1 in the second when Sotomayor drove in two on a single up the middle with the bases loaded. Although she allowed one run in the first inning and another in the third, Larsen continued to challenge hitters, striking out her fourth batter to end CSUEB's threat in the third inning. She was then boosted to having a 5-2 advantage in the fifth after junior infielder Brenna Youngquist led off with a single and freshman catcher Alyssa Brundage connected for her first collegiate hit after which an error allowed the run to score.

Larsen did not have an issue closing out the victory with a three-up, three-down sixth and the strikeout number six in the seventh before a popup ended it.

GAME 2 – ART U 5, CSUEB 4
Cal State East Bay got ahead early with a pair of runs in the first inning once again to start the day's finale and starter Olivia McWhorter (0-0) seemed to be in control, retiring seven of the first nine batters she faced. After a run on two errors in the third and a run-scoring double in the fifth, the Pioneers had built a 4-0 lead, but it was not safe as the contest moved into the late innings.

ART U's fifth inning started with a pinch-hit single from Larsen then singles from Sotomayor and Youngquist each with two outs. Youngquist's produced the Knights' first run of game two, but despite having the bases loaded, Academy of Art was kept from any more in that frame. The sixth was highlighted by three straight run-producing at-bats including singles by Alaan and Sotomayor and a sacrifice fly from Youngquist with the bases loaded which tied the game 4-4.

Sophomore starting pitcher Hannah Rose Balke (1-1) had given ART U six strong innings, but in the seventh, the ball was handed to senior Brenna Mitchell (1-0) who pitched through an error and ended the frame emphatically on a strikeout. Setting the stage for a dramatic finale, senior infielder Samantha Klune and Mitchell both singled to start the bottom of the seventh before Brundage dropped a crucial sacrifice bunt to move the runners over. Then, facing a 1-1 count, Seva'aetasi boldly laid down a perfect squeeze bunt with Klune bolting for home and the Pioneers were unable to make a play, ending the game in walkoff fashion with the Knights tasting a 5-4 victory.

On the young season, Academy of Art is now 4-3 overall and has won three consecutive games. Larsen's second consecutive complete game performance in which she did not allow an earned run saw her go 7.0 innings with six hits allowed and two walks as well as six strikeouts. She was also 2-for-2 at the plate in game two. After Balke went 6.0 innings with four runs allowed (three earned) and two strikeouts, Mitchell picked up her first victory of the year with a clean inning of work that included one strikeout.

Offensively, both Sotomayor (3-for-7, 3 runs batted in) and Youngquist (2-for-6, 3 RBI) drove in runs in each game while Henderson had a pair of RBIs in her 1-for-1 performance in the opener. Alaan finished 3-for-6 with a double, RBI, stolen base, and her ninth hit by pitch of the year. Seva'aetasi went 1-for-2 in the second contest with the game-winning RBI.

Cal State East Bay suffers its first two losses of the year and moves to 2-2 overall. Bailee Glover was the leader offensively with a 4-for-7 doubleheader that included two RBIs and a double. In the circle, Taylor Lara (0-1) had the best day despite taking a loss, providing 5.0 relief innings with one earned run allowed.

ART U will play a single game at Stanislaus State this Saturday, Feb. 10 beginning at noon before returning to Mission Blue Field on Sunday, Feb. 11 for an 11 a.m. doubleheader hosting Saint Martin's.