Baseball relinquishes early lead in loss to Pomona-Pitzer for SCIAC opener

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps baseball team scored first in the Friday single game against cross-street rivals, Pomona-Pitzer. Until the top of the eighth inning, the Stags kept the game close but ultimately lost 12-3 to the Sagehens in the SCIAC opener.

In the bottom of the second inning, freshman Deji Andrew (HMC) scalded a two-out single up the middle for the Stags' first hit of the game. Then, sophomore Chase Eller (CMC) drove a ball deep into right field, scoring Andrew from first. Eller tried to stretch the hit into a triple and was tagged out to end the inning, but not before CMS took the 1-0 lead.

The Sagehens punched back in the top of the third, stringing together a trio of hits. Trailing by one, senior Jack Witte (CMC) snuck a line drive inside the foul line into right field for a triple. Classmate MacKenzie Menthen (CMC) came up clutch with a simple base hit into right field to score Witte and knot up the game at two runs apiece.

Pomona-Pitzer tacked on another in the fourth inning and then two more in the sixth with RBIs for Adam Hinthorne and Tanner Nishioka to take the 5-2 lead.

Junior catcher Evan Opperman (CMC) got the Stags going with a lead-off single and was then driven in by Eller for his second RBI on the afternoon.

The CMS offense continued to get hits but left five runners on base in the final three innings. Meanwhile, the Sagehens put together a big eighth inning, scoring seven runs to run away with the victory.

Defensively, a highlight for the Stags was when Eller made a leaping catch in center field to end the sixth inning with Pomona-Pitzer runners in scoring position. Freshman Nick DeGallier (CMC) had a strong outing with five complete innings only allowing three runs.

CMS (1-5, 0-1 SCIAC) continue the series with the Sagehens (5-0, 1-0 SCIAC) across the street tomorrow as the visitors. The double header begins at 11 a.m. at Pomona-Pitzer's Alumni Field.

Box Score

By Emily Nordhoff
Sports Information Director

Sign up for CMS Email Updates
Become a fan of CMS Athletics on Facebook: AthleticsCMS
Follow CMS Athletics on Twitter: @AthleticsCMS
CMS Athletics on Instagram: cmsathletics
Watch CMS Athletics videos on YouTube: ClaremontMuddScripps
#goathenas    #gostags