TURLOCK, Calif. – Academy of Art demonstrated successful stretches on both sides of the softball in the Urban Knights' first two games of the year on Monday, but Stanislaus State ended up prevailing by final scores of 5-2 and 6-0 out at Warrior Softball Field.

GAME 1 – STAN 5, ART U 2
After six hits yielded three runs of offense for Stan State over the first four innings, the Knights rallied in the fifth beginning with a two-out walk from senior catcher/infielder Liberty Herrera. Two more base-runners reached as junior infielder/catcher Olivia Glover and freshman outfielder Danielle Shinko each singled then graduate student outfielder Cailee Grayhorse-Pupecki made it three consecutive singles, driving in two of her teammates in the process.

The one-run contest at 3-2 Warriors held until the bottom of the sixth when the home team countered with a two-run homer that gave Stanislaus State its eventual 5-2 winning margin.

GAME 2 – STAN 6, ART U 0
The second half of Monday's doubleheader was a pitcher's duel with junior Kamielle Powell (0-1) and Victoria Alarcon (2-0) exchanging four scoreless frames innings with a combined four hits allowed. Powell was cruising into the fifth inning with 10 of 12 batters retired and just 10 pitches needed to get through the fourth, but a walk followed by three consecutive singles proved ominous.

In the end, the Warriors scored six times (two earned) on four hits though redshirt junior pitcher Sydney Harmon, who made her first appearance since April 2023, ended the frame by striking out the first batter she faced. Senior utility Alexis Folks recorded her second hit of the game in the seventh, but ART U could not initiate a comeback, falling 6-0.

Academy of Art begins its 2025 campaign at 0-2 overall despite having seven different Knights record hits on the afternoon. Grayhorse-Pupecki finished with the two runs batted in during game one, Folks added a 2-for-3 second contest, and Powell opened with a 3.00 earned run average after surrendering just two earned runs in 4.2 innings of work.

Coming into the twin bill at 1-1, Stanislaus State moves to 3-1 overall after McKenna Beach led the way with three runs batted in as part of a 2-for-4 day. Sasha Martello (1-0) picked up the game one victory with two runs allowed on six hits and one walk in 5.0 innings while Alarcon struck out 10 as part of her two-hit game two 7.0-inning shutout.

Up next for ART U is an 11 a.m. doubleheader at Sonoma State this Wednesday, Feb. 5.