Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BRISBANE, Calif.  - Dominican softball opened up PacWest conference play with a doubleheader split Monday afternoon against cross-bay rival Academy of Art. The Penguins (5-9, 1-1 PacWest) fell 4-3 in game one and won 10-9 in a nail-biter in the second game at Mission Blue Field.
 
Dahlen Dennis went 3 for 7 with a double and 3 RBI, and Alexis Chinchilla homered in the first game to go with 2 RBI. Jayda Alaan led the Urban Knights (8-6, 1-1 PacWest) on offense, going 6 for 8 with a home run, two doubles and a stolen base.
 
The Urban Knights jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Jayda Alaan singled to left field and advanced to third base on a Dominican infield error. Brenna Mitchell singled through the left side, allowing Alaan to score an unearned run.
 
The next inning, Ryia Grant reached on a fielding error and scored another unearned run for Academy of Art as Dom Seva'aetasi tripled to right center. Gabi Hirsch singled to second base in the next at-bat, scoring Seva'aetasi from first to make the game 3-0.
 
Dominican finally broke through in the third when Alyssa Waltman reached on a fielding error to score Karitza Reyes from third to make it 3-1.
 
Mady Christensen singled to lead off the fourth inning to put a runner on for Chinchilla. Chinchilla followed with a two-run home run on a 3-1 breaking ball to tie the game 3-3.
 
Neither team was able to break the tie over the next two innings, giving the Urban Knights one last chance at victory in the bottom of the seventh. Brenna Youngquist singled through the right side and advanced around the bases on a couple fielder's choices. Larsen then flew out to centerfield on a sacrifice, allowing Youngquist to score the winning run.
 
In the second game, Alaan drew a walk to for Academy of Art in the bottom of the first and advanced to third on an error and a fielder's choice. Alaan then drew first blood coming home on a wild pitch to give the Urban Knights a 1-0 lead.
 
Dahlen Dennis doubled to left center to get into scoring position in the top of the second to lead the response for the Penguins. Chinchilla then got on board with a hit by pitch, and Emily Ginn singled to left field to bring home Dennis and tie the game.
 
Schumacher singled in the top of the third as Dominican looked to take its first lead of the day. Schumacher then stole second and Reyes drove her in with a single up the middle. Ramirez joined the hit parade, doubling to left-center field to drive in Reyes for the second run in the inning and end Mitchell's day in the circle.
 
Dennis extended the Penguins lead on a single to center field, bringing home Ramirez and putting Waltman and Christensen in scoring position. Pinch-hitter Tayler Munoz hit into a fielder's choice, but Academy of Art was unable to make the play at home and Waltman scored the fourth run of the inning to put Dominican up 5-1.
 
The Urban Knights managed to get one run back in the bottom half of the third as Alaan led off with a double to right center and advanced to third on after Youngquist singled to right. Mitchell hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Alaan and cut the lead to three runs.
 
With runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the fourth, Dennis singled up the middle to give score Ramirez and Waltman for a 7-2 lead. Academy of Art answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third as the high scoring game continued.
 
Alaan doubled to left field and advanced to third on the slow throw to second to jump start the Urban Knight's rally. Youngquist singled to center field and advanced to second on a fielding error by Schumacher to score Alaan and close the gap to two. Samantha Klune sacrificed home one more to close the gap to 7-6. With two outs and runners and two runners in scoring position, Brundage doubled to right center to give Academy of Art the 8-7 lead heading to the seventh.
 
Dominican tied the game on a crucial error by Klune as she attempted to get Vanessa Porto out at second. Christensen, who singled to lead off the inning, scored on the error. Schumacher delivered a 2-RBI single down the right-field line to bring home Chinchilla and Porto and make the game 10-8.
 
Alaan homered to left field to give the Urban Knights one last hope trailing 10-9, but Gaby Katafias (3-3) closed out the game herself with a strike out and fielding a grounder for the final out of the game to earn the victory.
 
The Penguins welcome Notre Dame de Namur Sunday in their first PacWest doubleheader at Penguin Field. First pitch for the games are at noon, and 2 p.m. PST and live stats online.