BRISBANE, Calif. – Dominican softball's comeback fell short in an 8-6 loss in the first game of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader against Academy of Art at Mission Blue Field.

Freshman catcher Celeste Salas led the Penguins (5-7, 2-1 PacWest) going 3-for-3 from the plate with a home run and four RBI. Junior outfielder Vanessa Porto added a 2-for-4 performance with a double and two runs. Lauryn Henderson led the Urban Knights (2-14, 1-4 PacWest) on 2-for-4 hitting with a home run, three RBI and two runs. Hannah Balke did just enough to earn the complete-game victory stranding two runners in scoring position in the top of the seventh.

Haley Randall got ART U on the board first as she reached on an error and then stole two bases before Dominique Seva'aetasi doubled to left center to bring her home. Porto answered for Dominican in the top of the second as she doubled to left center and then came home as Salas singled down the left-field line to tie the game.

Schumacher then singled to lead off the top of the fourth and quickly stole second before rounding the last two bases on a pair of high fly balls to take the 2-1 lead. The Urban Knights once again took advantage of a fielding error to get a runner on in the bottom of the frame and Hannah Randall reached on a bunt single and stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Henderson singled up the middle to bring both runners home and then scored on a single through the right side to take the 4-2 lead. 

Salas homered to left to cut the Penguins' deficit to one, but the Urban Knights broke open the game in the bottom of the fifth. Henderson hit a solo shot out of left to spark ART U and then Seva'aetasi scored on a squeeze play to extend the lead to three. Cassandra Mittman brought two more runners home on a single down the left-field line to take the 8-3 lead.

Dominican still had more left in the tank as Lauren Lapinid and Porto singled to lead off the sixth, while Alyssa Waltman drew a walk to load the bases. Salas then laced a single down the left-field line on a full count to score two runs and Shelby Cefalu singled through the left side to load the bases once again with no outs. Schumacher flew out to left field to bring home one run, but freshman Jordyn Okumura left early as she tagged up resulting in two outs as Balke got out of the jam. 

Alyssa Ramirez singled to start the seventh and Peyton Mott followed up with a double for Dominican to put the tying run in scoring position with no outs. Balke once again escaped with three consecutive outs to seal the victory.