HAYWARD, Calif. – Playing its fifth and sixth games over a five-day span, Academy of Art softball rallied late in its first contest against Cal State East Bay then had opportunities to break a 1-1 tie in game two, but despite a valiant starting effort from sophomore pitcher
Kayla Vaughan (0-3), the Pioneers prevailed 2-1 following their 7-2 game one victory.
GAME 1 – CSUEB 7, ART U 2
Junior pitcher
Kamielle Powell (0-3) struck out three of the first four batters she faced on Friday, but an error in the second inning led Cal State East Bay to establish a 3-0 lead. Singles by sophomore outfielder
Ari Mallari, freshman outfielder
Danielle Shinko, and senior catcher/infielder
Liberty Herrera highlighted the fourth before the home team added four more in their half of the frame.
In the sixth, a leadoff single by Vaughan eventually resulted in Mallari's first collegiate run batted in then Herrera provided a sacrifice fly, but time ran out on a further comeback and CSUEB secured the 7-2 win.
GAME 2 – CSUEB 2, ART U 1
Less than two full innings into the day's finale, the Urban Knights held a 1-0 lead after senior utility
Alexis Folks' one-out single and her subsequent touch of home plate by way of the first double in Shinko's career.
After the Pioneers started the third inning with a game-tying homer, Vaughan soon went on to retire six in a row then ART U had a prime opportunity with the bases loaded in the sixth. Herrera's leadoff single was followed by two hit batters yet Academy of Art could not gain an advantage. It was not until the seventh that another run was scored as a single and triple propelled CSUEB to the 2-1 walk-off victory.
Academy of Art, now 0-6 overall, got strong pitching performances from Powell and Vaughan who combined for just three earned runs in 12.1 innings of work. Mallari led the Knights with a 3-for-5 day that included one run batted in and a stolen base. Herrera and Shinko each drove in one run apiece and graduate student outfielder
Cailee Grayhorse-Pupecki added a 2-for-4 game two effort.
Cal State East Bay remains undefeated through seven games to start the season as Annelise Garcia paced the Pioneers with a 3-for-6 twin bill, homering and scoring three times. In the circle, Marissa Quintero and Ashley Toy each improved to 3-0 with no runs allowed and eight strikeouts over 5.2 innings pitched.
Next week brings Stanislaus State's Tournament of Champions as ART U will face various other CCAA opponents in five games over three days, spanning Feb. 14-16.
