CMS Rallies From Five Runs Down, Ties Bowdoin 7-7 in Eight Innings Due To Rain

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Baseball team rallied from five runs down against Bowdoin to tie the game 7-7 and the skies opened up and rain covered the field causing the game to be ruled a final on Wednesday at Bill Arce Field.

The Stags move to 7-5-1 with the tie and the Bowdoin Polar Bears move to 0-9-1 with the result in midweek. CMS got on the board in the bottom of the first when Ryan Motter doubled to center field to score Kevin Nakahara after Nakahara reached first on an error by the Polar Bears. 

CMS extended its lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning with an RBI on a ground out by Henri Levenson which scored Zach Clarke. Clarke opened the frame with a single to left field and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. 

All of a sudden in the fifth inning the bats got going for Bowdoin and the Polar Bears scored seven runs on five hits including an RBI single by Gavin Cann, Eric Mah, and Jeremy McCarthy. Austin Zakow continued the scoring with a two-run double to right field, and Colby Jancas capped the seven-run inning with a sacrifice fly RBI that scored Zakow to give Bowdoin a 7-2 lead through five innings. 

CMS chipped away at the lead with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Motter, once again, led off the frame with a double to center field and Clarke followed with a double to left field to score Motter. Patrick Gavin lined a single to center scoring Clarke to cut the deficit to 7-4 through six innings. 

The Stags rallied with three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game 7-7. CJ Novogradac began the rally when he was hit by a pitch, then following a fly out by Nakahara, he advanced to second on a single to the shortstop by Motter and would score on a double by Clarke to center field. Marco Castillo flew out to second base and Gavin laced a double to the fence in left field to score Clarke and tie the game. 

Starter Justin Hull tossed 2.0 innings allowing one hit and striking out one batter. Spencer McCann delivered 2.1 innings in relief, surrendering four runs (three earned) on two hits with one walk. Nico Mannucci ran into some trouble during his second outing in as many days, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits with one walk in less than an inning. Josh Cordova and Konnor Kwok combined to hold the Polar Bears scoreless over 2.2 innings allowing one hit, walking two and recording one strikeout. 

The Stags came to bat in the bottom of the eighth with the score knotted 7-7 and Truman Miller flew out to right field but then the skies opened up and rain covered the field. 

Motter and Clarke finished with three hits in four at-bats, with Motter posting one RBI and Clarke driving in two runs. Levenson finished 0-for-4 but drove in two runs and Gavin went 2-for-2, was hit by a pitch twice, and drove in two runs. The Stags recorded 12 hits in 32 at-bats as a team and recorded seven RBI in the tie. Motter (2), Clarke (2), and Gavin each doubled in the 14-run affair. 

Bowdoin was lead by a pair of batters, Zakow (double) drove in two runs and Cann, Mah, McCarthy, and Joncas each drove in one run as the Polar Bears posted six RBI. Peter O'Connell allowed one unearned run on two hits with two strikeouts over 2.0 innings. Beckett Slayton surrendered three earned runs on six hits over 3.2 innings and Jeff Price allowed three runs (two earned) over 1.0 innings in relief. Ryan Winn retired the final two outs before the rain started and ended the game. 

CMS Baseball is back in action on Fri. Mar. 22 at Occidental at 3 p.m. and then return home to Bill Arce Field for a doubleheader against the Tigers on Mar. 23 scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.