Games #17 & 18
ART U Urban Knights (3-13) vs. Cal State Monterey Bay Otters (11-8)
Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 11 a.m. & 1 p.m.
Seaside, Calif. – Otter Sports Complex
Live Stats | Live Video

Games #19 & 20
ART U Urban Knights (3-13) vs. MSU Moorhead Dragons (11-4)
Monday, March 13, 2023 at Noon & 2 p.m.
Brisbane, Calif. – Mission Blue Field
Live Stats & Live Video

ART U SET FOR NON-CONFERENCE BATTLES WITH OTTERS, DRAGONS
Following its start to Pacific West Conference play earlier this week, Academy of Art softball returns to non-conference action with four games over a three-day stretch that takes the Urban Knights to Cal State Monterey Bay before hosting MSU Moorhead.

FIRST PITCH
At Otter Sports Complex in Seaside, ART U meets CSUMB for an 11 a.m. doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 11 then MSU Moorhead visits Mission Blue Field for a noon twin bill on Monday, Mar. 13. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps. 

KNIGHT WATCH
Ranked fourth in the PacWest in batting average (.254), Academy of Art still maintains its trio of hitters swinging above .300 in junior outfielder Maddie Sticka (.333), junior infielder Haley Randall (.318), and freshman infielder Audrey Allen (.306). Sticka's average is 11th in the conference while Randall is 16th, adding 12 runs scored which are the eighth-most and four stolen bases which are sixth. Senior outfielder Bethany Mitchell owns six doubles and two triples on the year (both fourth in PacWest), moving her to second in ART U career history in the latter, along with nine runs batted in (13th in PacWest).

Freshman pitcher Kamielle Powell (3-7), who ranks seventh in the conference in wins, currently finds herself eighth in the PacWest in both strikeouts (24) and innings pitched (53.2) after dropping her earned run average to 2.74 (ninth in PacWest).

OUTLINING THE OTTERS
Cal State Monterey Bay exchanged wins and losses through its first 11 games of the season before taking three of four from Cal State San Bernardino as well as Cal State East Bay most recently. Only two members of CSUMB, Ally Alcyaga (.368) and Ivana Perez (.328), are currently hitting above .300 and they have combined for 19 extra-base hits including five home runs plus 16 runs batted in. Defensively, Cassie Gasper (6-4) offers a strong 1.04 earned run average with 59 strikeouts in 67.1 innings pitched while Kassidy Stetler (4-4) comes in with a 2.20 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 57.1 innings of work. Meeting as recently as last season, CSUMB is 10-4 all-time versus ART U.

DEFINING THE DRAGONS
MSU Moorhead had been 11-2 overall prior to dropping two games to Cal State East Bay in the start of the Dragons' projected 10-game Northern California road trip. MSUM had posted some rather dominant final scores prior to falling to the Pioneers 2-0 and 5-3. Well over half the Dragons roster is hitting above .310 as regular starters Annika Norman (.413) and Mack Gallagher (.412) lead the way with the latter adding four home runs and 25 runs batted in through 15 games. MSU Moorhead has regularly given the ball to Reece Dahl (1-2) and Evey Evans (3-1) whose ERAs rest at 3.98 and 4.20 respectively through their combined 44.1 innings pitched. Monday will see the Knights and Dragons' first meeting to date.

ART U DROPS PAIR TO DOMINICAN IN START OF PACWEST ACTION
Patiently waiting through stormy weather both in Southern and Northern California for the start of Pacific West Conference play, Academy of Art softball finally faced off against Dominican in each teams' first conference games at Penguin Field on Mar. 7. The Urban Knight exchanged four scoreless frames with the Penguins to begin before a two-run double in the fifth proved to be the difference in DU's 2-0 win. ART U took back one run midway through the second contest following Dominican's early advantage, but the Penguins held on to prevail 3-1.

ON THE HORIZON
With non-conference play finished until the month's final day, Academy of Art will head to Azusa Pacific next week on Mar. 17-18 to make up its series previously postponed due to inclement weather.