BRISBANE, Calif. – Embracing the challenge of facing No. 3 Concordia to open Pacific West Conference play, Academy of Art softball held a 2-0 lead three innings into Sunday's doubleheader, but the Eagles capitalized late and scored in the first three innings of game two to take both sides of the twin bill, 6-3 and 9-1, out at Mission Blue Field.
GAME 1 - #3 CUI 6, ART U 3
Three were no hits through the series opener's 13 batters as sophomore
Jolene Rhoades (0-8) impressively retired the first six Eagles she faced. An error allowed senior catcher/infielder
Lauryn Henderson to reach in the second inning, but it was not until the bottom of the third that the game's first run touched home plate.
Following a leadoff walk to junior outfielder
Bethany Mitchell, an error put two runners into scoring position and the first was plated on a passed ball. Two batters later, sophomore infielder
Haley Randall gapped a single and suddenly the Urban Knights were in front 2-0.
Three hits set the table for CUI in the fourth and an error proved costly as four came in before the inning was finished. Senior utility
Alyssa Rasmussen would take third base on a single, a steal, and an error in the fourth, but she would remain stranded and Concordia added two more with speed of its own in the sixth.
An error led to one run for ART U in the sixth and another miscue could have resulted in more damage in the seventh, but the Eagles held on to take the first contest 6-3.
GAME 2 - #3 CUI 9, ART U 1 (5)
Though just one ball left the infield in the first inning of the second game, Concordia found itself up 3-0 then added two more on three hits in the second. Junior catcher/utility
Cassandra Mittman's walk was followed by Mitchell's double in the second yet no damage ended up taking place.
Entering the fifth frame, a 9-0 CUI lead was impacted by Henderson's first homer of the season, a pinch-hit solo shot to center field. Though freshman utility
Elle Edeker singled thereafter and represented the game's potential for a sixth inning, Concordia got the final out it needed for a 9-1 victory.
Academy of Art, now 0-16 overall and 0-2 in conference play, was led by Randall's 1-for-2 effort with a run batted in and a run scored game one then extra-base hits came from Mitchell (1-for-2, double) and Henderson (1-for-1, home run) in the day's finale. Rasmussen added her third stolen base of the season as part of a 1-for-3 effort in the series opener.
Undefeated through its first 18 games of the season and 6-0 in PacWest play, Concordia had Lauren Lopez go 2-for-6 on the day with one RBI, three runs scored, and three stolen bases while Shelby Pfeiler added a 2-for-3 game two performance that included a double and a homer. Kaitlin Entrup (6-0) did not allow an earned run while striking out eight in 7.0 innings to begin the day then Erika Morris (5-0) surrendered no runs on one hit with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings of game two.
ART U will finish its series with the Eagles tomorrow beginning another doubleheader at noon out at Mission Blue Field.
