SANTA ROSA, Calif. – Academy of Art softball combined what is quickly becoming its trademark hit parade offense with stingy pitching to put away No. 25 Sonoma State on Friday. After weather conditions relocated action to Santa Rosa Junior College's Marv Mayes Softball Field, ART U found itself on the losing end of a 3-2 decision as Saint Martin's used a three-run homer to capture the win late, but seven ART U hits from six Urban Knights turned into seven runs, powering a 7-2 victory over the Seawolves which also featured the first win of freshman pitcher Kamielle Powell's collegiate career.
 
GAME 1 – SMU 3, ART U 2
Powell (1-2) began the game by impressively retiring eight of the first nine batters she faced, but her Saints counterpart Tia Ridings (1-0) matched the effort as four scoreless frames opened the contest.

The fifth began with two SMU outs, but a double and an error enabled Kekai Schultz to send a three-run homer beyond the left field fence for the game's first score. In the bottom half of the inning, Academy of Art responded by putting its first two runners on via a hit batter and bunt single from senior catcher/utility Cassandra Mittman before a passed ball and wild pitch turned it into a 3-1 ballgame.

Senior pitcher Haley Arnold-Jolley (0-1), who had relieved Powell in the fifth, finished off the final two innings without allowing a run to set up one final chance for the Knights in the bottom of the seventh. After singles by senior outfielder Bethany Mitchell and Mittman, junior outfielder Maddie Sticka stepped in a sent a ball through the right side, driving in one of her teammates and narrowing the gap to 3-2. Saint Martin's, however, secured the victory by inducing one last out.

GAME 2 – ART U 7, #25 SSU 2 (5)
After a scoreless first inning, Academy of Art was first to the scoreboard in the second with freshman catcher Alexus Sorenson drawing a walk and Sticka singling to set up junior utility Cailee Grayhorse-Pupecki's run-scoring single. The Seawolves promptly responded with a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame, but the lead changed hands once more in the third.

After sophomore infielder/pitcher Elle Edeker walked and junior infielder Haley Randall was hit by a pitch, both runners were bunted over by Mitchell, putting junior infielder Katie Humphreys into position for a two-run single. Now ahead 3-2, Powell reentered the contest and retired her first four batters before pitching around a pair of walks in the fourth.

The ART U offense then proceeded to unload four runs on four more hits with freshman infielder Audrey Allen and Edeker setting the table for a run-scoring single from Randall, a run-scoring double from Mitchell, and later a two-run single off Sticka's bat for the 7-2 advantage. Powell collected her first collegiate victory after retiring three of the final four batters she faced in the fifth, giving her 3.0 scoreless frames and a total of 7.2 innings on the day with no earned runs allowed plus four strikeouts.

Emerging from its first week of the season at 1-3 overall, Academy of Art was led offensively by Sticka's combined 3-for-5 day which included three runs batted in. Mittman was 2-for-3 in the first contest and Humphreys added two RBIs in her 1-for-3 second game. Grayhorse-Pupecki, Mitchell, and Randall each drove in one run apiece with the latter scoring twice to match Edeker's pair scored as well.

Saint Martin's, who fell to SSU earlier in the day, begins its campaign at 1-1 overall with the three-run homer from Schultz on a 1-for-3 effort highlighting their day while Ridings picked up the win with one run allowed on two hits plus six strikeouts in 5.0 innings in the circle.

Sonoma State moves to 1-1 after its two-run homer from Courtney Jack came as part of her 1-for-1 performance while Nichole Sarra (0-1) was dealt the loss after surrendering five runs on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched.

With its first week of action complete, ART U prepares for four games across two days in Chico with single matchups against Chico State and Stanislaus State taking place both Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11.