Box Score Game 1
Box Score Game 2
Brisbane, CA – In their last home games of the season, the Academy of Art University's softball team hosted non-conference members San Francisco State on Wednesday afternoon. The two teams battled all afternoon taking turns with the lead. As the games went back and forth, the Knights kept fighting, eager for some wins. The first game took the teams into the 8th inning, before the Urban Knights came away with a 6-5 victory over the visiting Gators. Game two was also a back and forth battle, and again ART U came away with the win, this time with a score of 7-5.
“Today I just really wanted the team to enjoy the game again and care about what they were doing, and we definitely saw that,” said Head Coach Rachel Sherman. “Players started to have fun but were focused, and expected more out of each other while still supporting one another.”
In game one, SFSU wasted little time getting things going. The Urban Knights' pitching was off to a slow start, as was their defense, and the Gators took advantage by posting three runs in the top of the first inning. But the Knights answered right back when they pushed across two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Senior Alana Aweau led the inning off with a single, and later scored on a base hit by junior Genna Allen. Freshman Elyse Cordova recorded the second run for the Knights when she scored on a ground ball by sophomore Alyssa Hickey.
The Gators then stretched their lead to two when they score in the top of the third. Again ART U came right back with one run of their own in the bottom of the inning when Allen singled with two outs. She then stole second, and after a short rain-delay, scored when Hickey singled to center-field. In the bottom of the fourth inning the Knights took their first lead of the game. This time is Aweau who came up big when she hit a line drive to center field that got out of the park in a hurry for a two run home run, lifting her team to a 5-4 lead. Unfortunately that lead didn't last too long, as the Gators tied things up when they scored once in the top of the sixth. After a scoreless seventh inning, the two team headed into extra innings.
The Knights' pitching kept SFSU quiet in the eighth, and then the Knights' offense went to work in the bottom of the inning. After three walks, the bases were loaded, and sophomore Nicole Smith came in to pinch hit. With a 1-1 count, Smith singled up the middle scoring sophomore Andrea Hanchey from third. That was the game winning run, and at the end of the battle, the Knights won with a final score of 6-5.
“Alana's homerun was huge for us,” exclaimed Coach Sherman. “It put us back in the game and gave us some good momentum. I think Jayme's at bat for the walk was crucial. That loaded the bases for Nicole “Clutch” Smith. With the bases loaded all she needed was a sacrifice fly, but ended up getting a single up the middle to score the run easily.”
Leading the Knights was Allen who went 2-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. Aweau also did well going 2-4 with a homerun, two runs, and two runs batted in. Five other Urban Knights recorded a hit in the game.
Sophomore Kimberly Dauer started on the mound for ART U. She went three innings pitched giving up six hits, four earned runs, and had one strikeout. Freshman Katie Brooks came in for relief and went five innings pitched also allowing six hits, no runs, and had three strikeouts. Brooks received the win in the game.
For the Gators, Heather Jensen did well going 2-2 with one run, Kelsey Wood went 2-3 with a home run, one run, and two runs batted in, and Kendra Wood went 2-4 with two doubles and one RBI. Receiving the loss was Ashley Jackson who went 7.1 innings allowing nine hits, six earned runs, and had four strikeouts.
The Urban Knights scored six runs on nine hits, committed three errors, and left seven runners on base.
Game two started out as a pitching duel. The Urban Knights were using their momentum from the previous game and came out with exceptional energy and drive. The Knights struck first in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman Lauren Stover led things off with a single up the middle. She then advanced to second on a ground out by sophomore Andrea Hanchey. Junior Genna Allen then tripled to left field to score Stover from second. But ART U's defense faltered slightly, and let the Gators took control for a short time. SFSU managed four runs in the top of the fourth to take over the lead in the game. But the Knights kept fighting back.
In the bottom of the fourth ART U scored twice sparked by three back-to back singles, to come within one run from the Gators. SFSU would score once more in the top of the sixth to extend their lead to 5-3. The Knights, however, were finally able to capitalize on their base runners.
ART U would score four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning stemmed from a lead-off bunt by freshman Elyse Cordova. The four runs gave the Knights the lead again in the game. ART U's pitching and defense then went to work and shut down the SFSU offense in the final inning. At the end of the game, the Knights earned the 7-5 victory over their opponents.
“Today we executed very well,” said Head Coach Rachel Sherman. “Everyone got their bunts down and moved the runners around. We were more aggressive on the bases and did the little things to make a big difference.”
ART U was led by Cordova who went 3-4 with one run scored. Stover also stood out going 2-4 with two runs, and one run batted in, and Allen did well also going 2-4 with a triple, one run, and one run batted in. Rounding things out was sophomore Jayme Stewart who went 2-3 with two RBI. All but one Urban Knight batter recorded a hit in the game.
“Elyse is on a great streak. She continues to keep her defenses on their toes and has done a great job on the bases,” added Sherman.
On the mound for the Knights was freshman Katie Brooks. She went 5.1 innings pitched allowing 11 hits, five runs (three earned), and had one strikeout. Sophomore Kimberly Dauer came in for relief and went 1.2 innings allowing one hit while recording the win in the game.
For SFSU, Kendra Wood did well going 3-4 with one run, Cara Spence went 2-4 with one run, and one RBI, and Summer Powell went 2-2 with one run and one RBI. Receiving the loss was Kendra Wood who went five innings allowing 14 hits, seven runs, and had six strikeouts.
The Urban Knights scored seven runs on 14 hits, had one error, and left 12 runners on base.
“These wins will give us some much needed confidence and momentum heading into the end of the season,” concluded Coach Sherman.
After the sweep, the Academy of Art University's record improves to 25-17 overall, while San Francisco State University's record falls to 16-33 overall. The Knights resume conference play when they face Dominican University on Saturday, April 23rd. Game times are set for 12:00 and 2:00 in San Rafael, CA.
