Pitching Leads CMS To Doubleheader Sweep Over Chapman

(Watch Coach Hipple's Postgame Interview)

CLAREMONT, Calif. – With first place in the SCIAC on the line, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team behind its pitching and timely hitting took both games from Chapman University in a doubleheader on Saturday at Athena Field. CMS won the first game 2-1 and the second game 2-0. CMS is now 18-6 overall and 10-2 in SCIAC. The Athenas have won 12 of its last 13 games overall.

Game 1: CMS 2, Chapman 1
In the bottom of the first inning, CMS batted around and scored both of its runs to take a 2-0 lead off of Chapman starting pitcher Cassie Oregel. Senior infielder Harmony Palmer got CMS its first run on an RBI single up the middle. Sophomore Marie Bradvica then brought home Palmer to stretch the lead to 2-0 which was just enough insurance for CMS sophomore starting pitcher Hayley Schultz (13-2).

Chapman got its lone run of the afternoon in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Larissa Rinauro. Schultz went the distance for CMS and allowed nine hits over seven innings with three strikeouts. Freshman outfielder Tara Robinson and junior shortstop Megan Latta each had two hits to lead CMS.

Game 1 box score: http://www.cmsathletics.org/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130323_v4ck.xml

Game 2: CMS 2, Chapman 0
The story of the second game was the pitching of CMS freshman Shannon O'Neill (5-1) who recorded the shutout by pitching 6 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and she allowed just three hits. Chapman had a pair of runners on in the top of the 7^th but Schultz came in and shut down Chapman to earn the save and secure the Athena win.

For the second game in a row, CMS got both of its runs in one inning. In the second game, both runs came in the bottom of the fifth as Palmer once again came through with an RBI hit. Freshman first baseman Katie Savard followed with an RBI single through the left side to give CMS a 2-0 lead.  Savard had two of the six hits for CMS.

Game 2 box score: http://www.cmsathletics.org/sports/sball/2012-13/boxscores/20130323_4mbn.xml

Next up for the Athenas is a crucial doubleheader at Redlands on Friday, March 29 beginning at 2 p.m.

Become a fan of CMS Athletics on Facebook: AthleticsCMS
Follows CMS Athletics on Twitter: @AthleticsCMS