Box Score #1
Box Score #2

Laie, HI – The Urban Knights continued their intense Hawaii roadtrip Friday in a doubleheader against BYU-Hawaii. Persevering through a 10-inning game one battle in which junior Kimberly Dauer tied the program's single-game record for innings pitched (10.0) and struck out a career-high (10), Academy of Art University prevailed 4-3 in the end after a two-run homer by senior infielder Genna Allen in the 10th. The second contest saw BYUH go up 8-2 in the late innings before ART U rallied back by scoring five runs in the seventh including another two-run blast from Allen. The comeback, however, fell just short as the Seasiders held on for the 8-7 victory at their own BYUH Softball Field.

A scoreless first two innings started off the series opener before Academy of Art (12-21, 8-10 PacWest) got on the scoreboard with a leadoff double by junior Julie Martin and an RBI single from sophomore infielder Lauren Stover. Tested early as BYU-Hawaii (10-10, 5-9 PacWest) loaded the bases in the second, Dauer (8-8) was able to exit unscathed after striking out the final Seasider in an eight-pitch at-bat. She boasted a pair of three up, three down innings through the first three frames, however, and would keep BYUH at bay until the fifth.

BYU-Hawaii came back with two runs in that inning, but an outfield assist Martin to junior catcher Jayme Stewart at the plate as part of a critical double play got ART U out of it. Then, with their backs against the wall in a 2-1 game in the seventh, the Urban Knights responded with an infield hit by Martin followed up with a clutch RBI triple from senior outfielder Ashley Lokey to tie the game 2-2. Dauer had found her rhythm by that point and would retire 14 consecutive Seasiders as the contest moved into extra innings.

In the ninth, Dauer struck out the side and finally the Knights broke through in the 10th which, per the PacWest's implementation of the international tiebreaker rule, began with ART U having a runner placed on second base to start the inning. With one out, Allen stepped up and crushed a two-run home run deep to left field, putting Academy of Art ahead 4-2 in the process. BYUH threatened in their last gasp, but Dauer's career-high 10th strikeout fittingly ended a grueling battle where ART U came out on top 4-3.

“I'm happy for Kim breaking her strikeout record in a game, but I know she is better than she threw today and hope she comes out even stronger tomorrow,” head coach Rachel Sherman said. “I thought Genna had some good at-bats today and her home run was great timing because we really needed the momentum and the run insurance.”


In game two, BYU-Hawaii was the one who scored first, plating two in the opening inning against freshman starter Haily MacDonald (3-5). The Urban Knights, however, would respond by getting one run back in their third. Sophomore outfielder Elyse Cordova created the opportunity by legging out an infield single before being sacrificed to second. Stover came up with the big hit, an RBI single up the middle, to shrink BYUH's lead to a single run, 2-1.

ART U then scored the tying run in the fifth on almost a déjà vu of the third as Cordova singled, was bunted to second, and then scored on a single by Lokey coupled with a fielding error. BYU-Hawaii came back to retake the lead in the sixth with a five-run rally that was the product of three hits and an error.  The designated visitors led 7-2 at that point.

What seemed like merely an excess run was scored by the Seasiders in the seventh would prove crucial later as Academy of Art stormed back in the final frame. The comeback began with a Stewart single and, two hits later, the bases were loaded for Stover with one out. A costly error by the BYUH shortstop allowed one run to score while keeping three on for Martin who singled another home. Junior catcher Andrea Hanchey brought the third in on a groundout before a two-run error in the Seasider outfield brought freshman infielder Taylor Thurman to the plate with Allen on third. Unfortunately for the Knights, their surge stopped there as the final out meant an 8-7 victory for BYU-Hawaii.

“I am always happy to see our fight in the seventh, but this time like so many others, it was too late,” Coach Sherman said. “We need to adjust sooner and score the runners earlier in the game to take the pressure off of the lineup and our defense later. We are much better than we played today and tomorrow will be very important in proving that.”

Dauer's 10.0 innings in the opener tied the ART U single-game record set by Katie Brooks at the end of last season (May 1, 2011) while her 10 strikeouts were tied for the sixth-most by an Urban Knight. For the afternoon, Dauer threw 11.1 innings while allowing just one earned run on 10 hits with 14 strikeouts in total. MacDonald pitched 5.2 innings in her game two start, surrendering five earned runs on six hits.

Allen had a host of extra-base hits Friday and her two home runs gave her six in total for the year. She would go 4-for-9 with a double, two RBIs, and a run scored as well. Martin contributed an impressive 3-for-3 game one which included a double and she would complete the afternoon 4-for-7 with an RBI and three runs scored in addition.

Stover, who drove in two, scored once, and stole a base, pushed her current hitting streak to nine games with three hits across Friday's action. With her one run scored on the day, Lokey became the program's new career runs scored leader with 76 in total. She finished the pair of games 3-for-8 with a triple and an RBI as well. Thurman posted her third consecutive multi-hit game, finishing the opener 2-for-5 with a double, while Cordova had a strong second game, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored.

In its one victory, BYU-Hawaii was led by Alexis Parry who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Lindsay Robison (2-for-8) was the only other Seasider to register a pair of RBIs. Gabrielle Hawkins fell to 4-6 on the year after allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits with two strikeouts in 10.0 innings as the game one starter. Tiffanee Frampton (6-4), who struck out five, earned the game two win despite seven runs allowed (one earned) on nine hits through a complete 7.0 innings pitched.

The Knights and Seasiders face one another once more tomorrow to complete Academy of Art University's longest Hawaii roadtrip in program history. The doubleheader's first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM HST (3:00 PM PST).