Game #31
ART U Urban Knights (19-11) vs. No. 13 Sonoma State Seawolves (19-7)
Friday, March 23, 2018 at 3 p.m.
Turlock, Calif. – Turlock Sports Complex
Live Stats

Game #32
ART U Urban Knights (19-11) vs. Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes (14-9)
Friday, March 23, 2018 at 7 p.m.
Turlock, Calif. – Pedretti Park (Field 5)
Live Stats

Game #33
ART U Urban Knights (19-11) vs. Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks (11-14)
Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 12:30 p.m.
Turlock, Calif. – Turlock Sports Complex
Live Stats

Game #34
ART U Urban Knights (19-11) vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros (9-16)
Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 3 p.m.
Turlock, Calif. – Turlock Sports Complex
Live Stats

Game #35
ART U Urban Knights (19-11) vs. Cal State San Marcos Cougars (5-23)
Sunday, March 25, 2018 at 9 a.m.
Turlock, Calif. – Pedretti Park (Field 2)
Live Stats

Game #36
ART U Urban Knights (19-11) vs. Western Washington Vikings (8-15)
Saturday, March 25, 2018 at 2 p.m.
Turlock, Calif. – Pedretti Park (Field 2)
Live Stats

Games #37 & 38
ART U Urban Knights (19-11, 7-5 PWC) vs. Chaminade Silverswords (8-17, 5-13 PWC)
Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at Noon & 2 p.m.
Brisbane, Calif. – Mission Blue Field
Live Stats/Video

Games #29 & 30
ART U Urban Knights (19-11, 7-5 PWC) vs. Chaminade Silverswords (8-17, 5-13 PWC)
Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at Noon & 2 p.m.
Brisbane, Calif. – Mission Blue Field
Live Stats/Video

ART U TO PLAY 10 GAMES OVER SIX DAYS
Academy of Art University Softball rides a three-game win streak into its sixth appearance at the 17th Annual Tournament of Champions in program history this week. From one busy stretch into another, the Urban Knights most recently went 3-3 in Southern California where they upset No. 17 Concordia then turned around and swept Humboldt State on Mar. 19. Visit www.warriorathletics.com/TOC for more details regarding this year's Tournament of Champions.

FIRST PITCH
In Turlock for a tournament that will host 27 teams and feature 79 games (weather permitting), ART U begins on Friday, Mar. 23 by facing No. 13 Sonoma State at 3 p.m. at the Turlock Sports Complex then making the brief trip to Pedretti Park's Field 5 to take on Cal State San Bernardino at 7 p.m. Day two, Mar. 24, includes a 12:30 p.m. pairing with Northwest Nazarene followed by Cal State Dominguez Hills at 3 p.m. both at the Turlock Sports Complex. The third and final day features matchups with Cal State San Marcos (9 a.m.) and Western Washington (2 p.m.) both at Pedretti Park Field 2. The Knights will then have one day off from competition before resuming Pacific West Conference play by hosting Chaminade for a four-game series (two noon doubleheaders) across Mar. 27-28 at Mission Blue 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
The Urban Knights find themselves second in the PacWest in earned run average (1.94) and shutouts (7) and third in the conference in doubles (42), stolen bases (41), and pitcher strikeouts (171). Pitcher Brooke Larsen, the PacWest Freshman of the Week for the fourth time, paces the team in both batting average (.367), virtually every pitching category (see below), and is tied for the lead in doubles (7). One of just three teams in the PacWest with two players among the top 10 in doubles, ART U's other doubles leader in senior utility Brenna Mitchell who, despite having her 12-game hitting streak came to an end in SoCal, is also hitting .348. Overwhelmingly the NCAA Division II leader in hit by pitch (18), freshman infielder Jayda Alaan also became the program's single-season leader after being hit three times against No. 17 Concordia. Hitting .348 with a team-high 19 runs scored (14th in PacWest), Alaan now has her sights set on the program's career record (27) set by Jasmine Dickenson in 2015.

With eight runs batted in over her last seven games, sophomore infielder Gracie Sotomayor has shown a knack for coming through when it matters and she has now become the squad's RBI leader (18) while also upping her batting average to .305. Now tied for seventh for the most walks in the program's single-season (17), junior infielder Brenna Youngquist also ranks second on the team in RBIs (15). Sophomore outfielder Gabi Hirsch remains among the conference's top base steals, ranking fourth with 15 (now among the program's top 10 in career steals and on the verge of cracking the top 10 for a single-season).

The fastest pitcher to reach 10 wins in ART U program history, Larsen (11-2) remains the PacWest leader in both strikeouts (116, sixth in NCAA DII), complete games (12), and innings pitched (97.1). She also ranks second in ERA (1.15) and wins (11). Her five shutouts have her ranked fifth in the nation and have also tied the single-season record set 10 years ago by Sierrah Garcia (2009). She comes off a week in which she collected two wins (one against No. 17 Concordia), threw one shutout, and struck out 23 batters in 20.0 innings. Providing a one-two punch for the Knights' rotation, freshman Cecilia Lopez (6-4) has had a great deal of success as well, ranking 10th in ERA (1.85) among pitchers in the PacWest with six starts or more.

KNOWING NOMA
One of three ranked teams in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, No. 13 Sonoma State is 19-7 overall after winning seven in a row in the early portion of CCAA play. The Seawolves split with UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino, swept Cal State Dominguez Hills, and took three of four from both Cal State Monterey Bay and Cal State San Marcos. Typically strong in the pitching department, SSU is led by Brigid Ruiz (7-2) and Brielle Vidmar (9-2) whose 2.36 and 2.61 respective ERAs are both top 10 in the CCAA. Karly Macadangdang is one of the team's top hitters, offering a .391 batting average with three homers, 18 RBIs, and 15 steals. Sonoma State is 12-1 against Academy of Art in the historical matchup.

COYOTES IN THE HUNT
In a season of balance, Cal State San Bernardino won its first five games, lost its next five, had six games canceled due to rain, then took three of four from Stanislaus State. Amanda Ramirez (8-5) has a team-best 3.02 ERA through 92.2 of the Coyotes' 161.0 innings in the circle while Jessica Brown sports a .431 batting average (fourth in CCAA) to go with nine home runs (second in CCAA). CSUSB and ART U met just once prior and it was the Coyotes who prevailed in the 2014 matchup.

KNIGHTS MEET NIGHTHAWKS
Despite going 2-5 in their first seven games, Northwest Nazarene has been regularly splitting matchups for the past month and is nearly .500 at 11-14 overall. The Nighthawks come off wins in three of four games against Saint Martin's and will close their Tournament of Champions with the matchup facing Academy of Art. NNU's top pitcher, Jordan Adams (7-4), owns a 2.29 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 58.0 innings pitched while Cassidy Fifield, their top hitter, comes in with a .391 batting average plus four home runs and nine steals. The Knights are 5-2 historically against Northwest Nazarene.

TALKIN' TOROS
Cal State Dominguez Hills went 4-3 to start 2018 despite being shut out twice in the Desert Stinger Tournament. The Toros' best stretch was four wins in five games which included three against Cal State East Bay. For a team that comes into the Tournament of Champions having been swept by SF State, CSUDH is led by Kayla Lock's .347 batting average, Rachael Sandoval's 17 RBIs, and a 3.79 ERA from Alyssa Valinches (4-7). Having met just three times before, the Toros are undefeated facing ART U.

COUGAR COVERAGE
Currently last in the CCAA standings, Cal State San Marcos owns a 5-23 overall record. Though the Cougars defeated California Baptist to start the year, they later lost nine straight as part of a 1-15 stretch before splitting with Cal State Monterey Bay. CSUSM has four players hitting over .300 led by Raven LeClair's .345 average, Janaea Mason's 15 RBIs, and a 4.58 ERA for Skie Munoz (2-3). This will be the first-ever meeting between the Knights and Cougars.

VIEWING THE VIKINGS
The Vikings dropped seven straight to start 2018, but have since enjoyed two three-game win streaks since then. Highlights thus far have been Western Washington's 9-1 victory over California Baptist, three of four wins versus Northwest Nazarene, and shutouts of both Concordia Portland and Simon Fraser by GNAC Pitcher of the Week Anna Kasner (4-7) who leads the conference with 73 strikeouts through 70.0 innings pitched. Offensviely, the team relies heavily upon Shearyna Labasan who is hitting .455 and paces the GNAC in on-base percentage (.561). WWU holds a 5-1 advantage in the all-time matchup with Academy of Art.

SWORDPLAY
After not leaving the Hawaiian Islands until mid-March and enduring a 1-11 stretch during that time, Chaminade is now midway through a 17-game swing through California which has seen them go 4-2 leading up to the Tournament of Champions. Jackie Najera is the team's top bat, hitting .325 while tied for the PacWest lead in doubles (10). Defensively, Madelyn Stockslager (5-7) has the Silverswords' top ERA (4.09) with 65 strikeouts in 73.2 innings pitched. In 24 previous meetings, ART U is 18-6 all-time versus CUH.

SOFTBALL REGISTERS 20 HITS, LIMITS HUMBOLDT STATE TO ONE RUN IN SWEEP
Hosting Humboldt State, a NCAA Division II title contender last season, out at Mission Blue Field on Mar. 19, Academy of Art University Softball executed a memorable sweep of the Lumberjacks. ART U scored 12 runs on 20 hits in the twinbill as pitcher Brooke Larsen (11-2), fresh off being named Pacific West Conference Freshman of the Week for the fourth time this season, shutout HSU en route to a 3-0 win in the opener. The Urban Knight bats then caught fire in game two, leading to rallies in four of six innings and a 9-1 walk-off run-rule victory.

LOOKING AHEAD
With nine days off from competition after this stretch, Academy of Art will look ahead to a rematch with Notre Dame de Namur on Apr. 7 in Belmont.