TURLOCK, Calif. – After its first game against Northwest Nazarene had to be cancelled midway through due to a sudden downpour, Academy of Art University Softball's offense rained down particularly in the final inning of an incredible come-from-behind 7-6 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday in the Tournament of Champions. The Urban Knights trailed 6-3 heading into the seventh, but touched home four times in that inning capped by a run-scoring single from sophomore catcher Ryia Grant that broke the tie. ART U then brought in freshman Brooke Larsen (13-2), the last of four pitchers used in the contest, to close the door and earn her first collegiate save.

"I think our team did well learning after their first time through the lineup and making adjustments throughout the game to have better at-bats each time they went up," said head coach Sonja Garnett. "It's much harder to come from behind and win and I think our team did a really good job of never giving up and always fighting."

Academy of Art played an inning and a half against Northwest Nazarene out at the Turlock Regional Sports Complex to begin the day and led 2-0 heading into the bottom of the second inning when thunder as well as heavy rain left the field unplayable and forced the game to be cancelled. The Tournament of Champions would remain somewhat on schedule with the goal of every team being able to play one full game and, after extensive field preparations, the Knights faced CSUDH two hours after they were originally scheduled.

"We had a really strong start to our first game today and it was disheartening to not play that game, but we did a good job focusing on preparing for Cal State Dominguez Hills," said Garnett.

Getting started at 5 p.m. back at Pedretti Park, ART U and Cal State Dominguez Hills exchanged a scoreless inning in which freshman starter Cecilia Lopez (6-4) struck her way out of a jam. In the second, however, the Toros strung together four hits, causing Academy of Art to bring in sophomore pitcher Hannah Rose Balke (1-2). Though a 3-0 lead was been established, Balke kept any further damage from being done in the inning.

Two hits and two walks gave CSUDH one more run in the third, but the Knights took one of those back in the fourth when two walks paired with a single from sophomore infielder Gracie Sotomayor to load the bases. Sophomore catcher Ryia Grant then drew a walk to make it a 4-1 ballgame. After Balke pitched around a triple in the fourth, Academy of Art made another move in the fifth with back-to-back two-out run-scoring hits from Larsen and Sotomayor. Larsen plated one on a double and Sotomayor followed with two on her energizing triple as the contest was suddenly 4-3 Toros.

Continuing the rollercoaster of emotion, Cal State Dominguez Hills stepped in to face senior pitcher Brenna Mitchell (2-3) in the bottom of the fifth after Balke departed midway through. A strikeout gave ART U two outs, but back-to-back run-scoring doubles followed and the score at the start of the sixth was 6-3 CSUDH.

After both teams put runners into scoring position but left them stranded in the sixth, a decisive ART U rally was started by Mitchell's double and senior infielder Samantha Klune's single.

"Two of our most seasoned veterans in those hard-game situations were counted on to come through and they really stepped up to the plate," said Garnett.

Larsen then walked and it was Sotomayor who brought in her third teammate of the day with a single up the middle. Consecutive bases-loaded walks were then drawn by freshman catcher Alyssa Brundage and junior infielder Brenna Youngquist, tying the game 6-6. Though the Toros went to their bullpen at that point, Grant made hard contact on a single up the middle which put her team ahead 7-6. CSUDH finally got the three outs it needed to keep the game close and give themselves one last chance in the bottom of the seventh.

Throwing just one inning against Northwest Nazarene, Larsen then returned to the pitcher's circle for a save opportunity. A leadoff single and a groundout forced her to pitch carefully with the tying run at second base. However, Larsen did what she has done all year, bore down, and struck out the final two batters to secure the 7-6 triumph for her team.

"It was a true team effort from our pitching staff with each person playing their own role. CSUDH hit very well today and, for Brooke to enter in the final inning of a high-pressure game and shut them down, that secured the victory for us," said Garnett.

The day's victory elevates Academy of Art to 22-11 on the year. All four of ART U's pitchers completed at least an inning in the game with Lopez starting and going 1.1 inning with three runs allowed then Balke tossing 3.0 relief innings with two runs allowed. Mitchell earned the win after giving up just one unearned run in her 1.2 innings of relief and striking out three of the eight batters she faced. Larsen surrendered just the one hit while striking out two of three for the first save of her career. Larsen has now not allowed a run in her last 23.1 innings pitched.

Offensively, Sotomayor tied the program record with four hits in her four at-bats, notched her third triple of the year, and drove in a career-high three runs. She now owns a six-game hitting streak. Grant finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two walks, Larsen posted a 1-for-2 line with a double, one RBI, and three runs scored as a hitter, and both Youngquist plus Brundage had one RBI apiece. Klune was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, Mitchell added a 1-for-5 day with a run scored, and Hirsch went 1-for-5 as well.

Cal State Dominguez Hills falls to 10-18 with the loss which came despite 13 hits and two RBIs apiece for Kayla Lock and Rachael Sandoval. Starter Alyssa Valinches (5-8) surrendered seven runs on eight hits and eight walks through 6.0 innings pitched.

With the forecast relatively clear tomorrow, ART U, who has now tied its record for wins in the Tournament of Champions, will keep with its original schedule of Cal State San Marcos at 9 a.m. and Western Washington at 2 p.m. both at Pedretti Park – Field 2.