LA MIRADA, Calif. – Saturday's Pacific West Conference series between Academy of Art softball and Biola was a pitcher's duel early before a late rally by the Eagles secured a 2-1 win which built momentum toward a 6-0 victory in the finale at Freedom Field.
GAME 1 – BU 2, ART U 1
Junior pitcher
Kamielle Powell (2-9) and the Urban Knights' defense were particularly tough to start the day as two isolated hits and one walk were all Biola was allowed through the first five innings.
The fifth frame featured a breakthrough score for ART U, however, with senior catcher/infielder
Liberty Herrera roping a one-out double to right before taking third on a single from sophomore outfielder
Lida Wos, and eventually touching home plate on a double steal attempt. A leadoff triple by the Eagles came in the sixth and as four hits connected, the game shifted in their favor 2-1, remaining in that position despite Academy of Art getting the potential tying run to second in the seventh.
GAME 2 – BU 6, ART U 0
Though sophomore outfielder
Ari Mallari reached third in the opening inning on a walk, sacrifice bunt, and wild pitch, she remained stranded before Biola plated two in the bottom of the first. Mallari and Wos both singled and were in scoring position in the third yet again BU held ART U off the scoreboard. Two runs in the fourth and singular scores in the two frames that followed ultimately enabled the home team to hold on for the 6-0 final.
The day's results puts Academy of Art at 2-19 overall in 2025 and 1-7 in conference action with Herrera going 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and a stolen base in the opening contest while Wos and freshman infielder
Riannah Maulupe had hits in both games. Maulupe's current hit streak increases to 10 straight. Powell allowed just two runs on six hits and struck out a pair in a complete 6.0 innings of game one.
BU finishes the series at 13-9 overall and 7-1 against PacWest opponents with Raquel Reyes leading the way offensively by going 3-for-5 with three runs batted in and two doubles. Meanwhile, DJ Symons (5-0) and Reyes (2-3) combined to pitch all 14.0 innings on Saturday, allowing one run combined on 10 hits with 10 strikeouts.
The Urban Knights will next begin an 11-game homestand with each of the conference's Hawaii schools, UH Hilo (Mar. 14-15), Hawaii Pacific (Mar. 17-18), and Chaminade (Mar. 24-25) all visiting the Bay Area.
