CMS Baseball Drops Series Opener to Occidental

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps baseball team saw its six-game unbeaten streak come to an end as it dropped a 10-0 road decision to Occidental in the first game of a three-game series with the Tigers on Friday afternoon.

CMS, which had been 5-0-1 in its last six games (including a 7-7 tie on Wednesday against Bowdoin which was called due to rain in the eighth inning), falls to 7-6-1 overall and 2-5 in the SCIAC. Occidental improves to 16-4 overall and 4-0 in league play with the win. 

The Stags hadn't lost since a 7-6 defeat in 10 innings at Redlands on March 3, when they bounced back to win the nightcap by the same 7-6 score. They followed with a non-league win over Redlands at home (8-2), swept Whitman (3-1, 2-1) and defeated Principia (6-1) on Tuesday before the tie with Bowdoin the following day. 

Nolan McCarthy earned the win for Occidental, throwing a four-hit shutout. Junior shortstop Zach Clarke had two of the four hits for CMS, finishing the day 2-for-3 at the plate. Sophomore second baseman Patrick Gavin and senior third baseman Ryan Motter were each 1-for-2.  

Jack Brancheau hit a two-run homer for Occidental in the first inning to give McCarthy all the support he would need. The Tigers would tack on four more runs in the third to break it open, and then add one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth. Reid Gibbs finished 4-for-4 for Occidental, while Jake Frederickson was 3-for-3 with three RBI. 

CMS will be back in action tomorrow when it hosts Occidental for a doubleheader at Bill Arce Field, looking to bounce back and win the series with a sweep.