Katie Savard (Photo by Connor Ortman)
Katie Savard (Photo by Connor Ortman)

Split with Chapman sends Athenas into second place in SCIAC

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team split with Chapman University in two drastically different games on Friday afternoon. After winning the first game 3-0, CMS dropped game two 8-0 in just six innings.

The last time CMS faced Chapman was the first SCIAC games of the season back on Feb. 12 in which the Athenas rolled past the Panthers 13-2, 16-3. Today seemed as it would go the same way as sophomore Anna Gurr (CMC) pitched her seventh complete game shutout of the season while the team recorded its 17th shutout and 29th win. The plot quickly changed in the top of the first inning in game two as Lisa Perez launched a deep homer to center field. She would hit another in the second inning to give CU the early 7-0 lead that they held onto for the win.

The first game was scoreless until senior Tara Robinson (CMC) got on after getting hit by a pitch and then scored on senior Katie Savard's (CMC) double to the left center gap. Savard was stranded at third but the Athenas had taken the 1-0 lead.

After a three-up, three-down inning in the fourth, the CMS bats came alive again as Robinson showed off her speed with a leadoff triple. Once again, Savard knocked Robinson in, this time with a single to right. Two batters later, senior Carlene Roberts (CMC) hit the team's second triple of the inning to score pinch runner senior Janelle Shiozaki (CMC).

Gurr retired six of the final seven batters to close out the game without allowing a hit in the final three innings.

Senior Shannon O'Neill (CMC) also went for two hits in game one.

After successful starts in the last two weekends, O'Neill got the rock in the second game against Chapman today. Four sharply hit balls later, including Perez's homer, freshman Chloe Amarilla (CMC) relieved O'Neill. Amarilla induced a pop up and then a grounder to end the inning and get out of the jam.

Sophomore Briana Halle (CMC) came into the circle to finish out the game starting in the second inning after the second Perez homer. Through five innings of work, Halle scattered five hits and struck out four.

The game ended prematurely after Chapman went up 8-0 in the top of the sixth inning and the Athenas were unable to counter in the bottom half of the frame.

The loss today places CMS in the No. 2 position in SCIAC standings at 22-4, just behind La Verne at 23-3.

CMS hosts Occidental in a home double header tomorrow, Saturday, April 30, for the final games of the regular season and also Senior Day for the six graduating seniors. First pitch will be at 12 p.m.

Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score

By Emily Nordhoff
Sports Information Director

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