SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican softball fell 6-3 and 9-7 Saturday to Academy of Art in a doubleheader at Penguin Field.
 
McKenzie Schumacher finished 5 for 7 with four runs scored, a triple and three stolen bases for the Penguins (16-30, 7-19 PacWest). Alyssa Ramirez added a 2 for 3 performance at the plate with a double three RBI and two stolen bases. Mady Christensen went 3 for 5 with three runs, three RBI, a double and a triple for Dominican.
 
Brenna Youngquist led the Urban Knights (31-12, 14-6 PacWest) from the plate, going 4 for 6 with two RBI. Brooke Larsen earned a victory and a save for ART U from the circle, allowing three earned runs and striking out 10 batters in eight innings pitched. 
 
McKenzie Schumacher walked to lead off the bottom of the first for the Penguins and quickly stole second and third to get into prime scoring position. Two more walks loaded the bases, but Larsen was able to get out of the jam and leave the runners stranded.
 
Brenna Youngquist doubled to right field to score Gracie Sotomayor to give Academy of Art the first run of the game in the top of the second after an error put Larsen on the base paths. Gabi Hirsch helped the Urban Knights keep the momentum going in the third with a lead off double down the right-field line. After Jayda Alaan was hit by a pitch, a couple of defensive miscues brought home Hirsch and ART U added two more runs in the inning to take a 4-0 lead.
 
Schumacher once again provided the offense for the Penguins with an infield single and another stolen base in the bottom of the frame. Christensen moved her to third with a sacrifice and Alyssa Ramirez laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to bring Schumacher home to cut the deficit to three.
 
After neither team got on base in the fourth, Alyssa Brundage singled through the left side with the bases loaded to bring in two more runs and extend the Urban Knight lead to 6-1. Dominican refused to back down and Schumacher singled up the middle and Christensen tripled to right to bring her home. Ramirez gave Dominican the final run of the game for either team with a sacrifice fly to the right-center gap to plate Christensen. 
 
Senior Gaby Katafias began the second game on fire throwing only 12 pitches in the first two innings and facing the minimum number of batters. Schumacher tripled to right center to lead off the game for the Penguins offense and Christensen followed with a sacrifice fly to give Dominican the 1-0 lead.
 
The Urban Knights loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third and Alaan doubled down the left field line to give them the 2-1 lead. Two more runs came home on a throwing error after a squeeze bunt to extend the lead to three. Gracie Sotomayor brought made it 5-1 with a single to left, but the Penguins were able to get the final out after catching Larsen in a pickle between third and home.
 
Dominican found the answer on offense in the bottom of the fourth as Christensen and Ramirez singled and stole bases to put runners on second and third. Karitza Reyes brought home Christensen with a single to center and stole second to keep the pressure on the ART U defense.  Alexis Chinchilla singled through the right side to bring home both runners and close the gap to 5-4 heading to the fifth.
 
The Urban Knights answered with three runs in the top of the fifth led by back-to-back doubles from Samantha Klune and Larsen. Brenna Mitchell added a solo shot to left field to give ART U the 9-4 lead heading to the final inning.
 
The Penguins rallied the offense one last time as Haley Cheek drew a walk and Schumacher singled up the middle to lead off the bottom of the seventh.  Christensen doubled to left center to bring home one run and Schumacher scored on a wild pitch to close the gap to 9-6. Ramirez brought home Christensen with a sacrifice fly to left to close the gap to two. Chinchilla tripled down the right-field line to bring the tying run to the plate, but Larsen struck out the next batter to earn the save.
 
Dominican will hit the road for its final six games, beginning Saturday against Holy Names in Moraga, California, in a doubleheader beginning at noon PDT. Live stats will be available online.