BOX SCORES: GAME 1 | GAME 2

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Freshman left fielder Kayleigh Klingberg had eight RBIs on five hits and freshman center fielder Crystal Albert went a perfect 9-for-9 at the plate but the Dominican University of California women's softball team finished its 2011 home schedule on a losing note. The Lady Penguins dropped both games of the doubleheader, 8-6 and 12-10, to Academy of Art University on Saturday afternoon at McInnis Park.

After a scoreless first inning in game one, the top of the second started well for the Lady Penguins (2-38/1-22) as senior right fielder Leighia Fleming made a very difficult flyball catch off the bat of AAU (27-17/15-9) junior shortstop Genna Allen. Unfortunately, the athletic play was followed by a walk, then a hit batter. After freshman left fielder Lauren Clark-Lewis advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, sophomore right fielder Julie Martin reached second base on an error, which allowed sophomore third baseman Nicole Smith to score and put the Urban Knights up 1-0.

In the third inning, the fortunes turned for Dominican. Fleming reached on an error, followed by consecutive singles by freshman centerfielder Crystal Albert and sophomore shortstop Molly Howard that loaded the bases. Freshman left fielder Kayleigh Klingberg hit a single to right-center that scored Fleming to tie the game and Dominican took a 2-1 lead when junior first baseman Kellie Hislop reached on an infield error that allowed Albert to score.

Junior pitcher Jessi Saaty found trouble in the top of the fifth. With two runners in scoring position, Allen tied the game with a single to left center. The quick relay from the outfield averted further damage on the relay. After Smith walked to load the bases, redshirt sophomore catcher Jayme Stewart singled in two runs to give AAU a 4-2 lead.

Unfortunately for the Lady Penguins, the sixth inning was no better. Freshman center fielder Elyse Cordova hit a two-run home run to right field. Junior pitcher Shawna Robb entered the circle and allowed sophomore first baseman Andrea Hanchey and Allen to reach base. A hard-hit ball by Smith to third base became a throwing error and scored the runners on base, which extended the Urban Knight lead to 8-2.

The Lady Penguins showed the urgency to come back in the bottom of the sixth inning. A leadoff single by Hislop gave a quality setup catcher Dominique Perry's doubled that brought home Hislop. Unfortunately, with a runner in scoring position, Dominican didn't capitalize, as three consecutive groundouts ended the inning.

With two outs and Howard on first, a seventh inning rally began. Klingberg tripled home Howard and cut the deficit to 8-4. With Hislop batting, an errant pickoff attempt allowed Klingberg to jog home. Hislop singled, followed by Perry getting hit by a pitch. Freshman infielder Rachel Santiago was the tying run at the plate, with sophomore Cortnie Chenoweth pinch running for Perry. Santiago's hit scored Hislop but Clark-Lewis's throw to third beat Chenowith to end the game with AAU taking the decision 8-6.

With Dominican batting as the visiting team in game two, Albert opened things up with a single and scored on came home on a Klingberg double off sophomore pitcher Kimberly Dauer scored Albert. After Klingberg reached third on a wild pitch and Hislop reached on an infield hit, Perry singled to score Klingberg, giving the Lady Penguins an early 2-0 lead.

However, AAU answered in the bottom half of the inning. Senior designated player Alana Aweau and Cordova led off with consecutive singles and both runners advanced with stolen bases. Stover singled to bring them home to tie but Robb was able to work out of the inning with no further damage.

The Dominican bats came alive in the second to break the tie. Senior Robyn Ridpath singled to left field and Robb and Albert each reached to load the bases. Howard made contact and reached first on an infield error and Ridpath scored to give Dominican the lead. Hislop then cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line that stretched the Dominican lead to 7-2.

AAU didn't give up though, as five singles in the bottom of the second manufactured three runs, including a two-run single by Allen.

The bats didn't let up for the Penguins in the third inning either. With Ridpath and Robb on base, Albert extended the lead by singling in Ridpath. After Howard singled to load the bases, Klingberg had another opportunity to drive in runs and she delivered with a single that gave Dominican a 10-5 lead.

AAU got one run back in the bottom of the third inning after Martin singled in junior leftfielder Melissa Coe.

After a scoreless top of the fourth, AAU AAU put together a two-out rally with five consecutive hits that tied things at 10-10.

Although the Lady Penguins loaded the bases in the top of the fifth inning, Dominican wasn't able to bring in a run.  AAU took an 11-10 lead in the bottom half of the fifth when Smith singled in Clark-Lewis, who pinch ran for Stover.

The Urban Knights added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Stover made contact and reached on an error, which scored Martin.

With one final chance for the Lady Penguins, Robb and Albert reached base and eventually moved into scoring position. Unfortunately, two consecutive outs ended the game and gave AAU the 12-10 victory.

For the day, Cordova, Smith, and Stewart all had three RBIs apiece for AAU.

Albert went a perfect 9-for-9 with 4 runs scored and an RBI. Kingberg had four hits on the day with eight RBIs and three runs scored.

Prior to the doubleheader, Head Coach Bob Herman acknowledged seniors Fleming and Ridpath for their contributions to the Dominican softball program. They both made the start in their final home games in a Dominican uniform.

Dominican finishes the 2011 season on Saturday, April 30 with a tripleheader in Belmont against Notre Dame de Namur University. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. In the previous series on April 16, the Lady Penguins won the middle game of the tripleheader, 3-2, while falling 7-3 and 6-0 in the other games.