La Verne forces a second championship game in SCIAC Tournament

LA VERNE, Calif. – Late inning heroics from La Verne forced the "if necessary" championship game for the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament. The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team has one more opportunity at a SCIAC Postseason Tournament Championship game in 30 minutes.

The Athenas looked to hurler Anna Gurr (CMC) to lead from the circle for the third game in a row of the tournament. The junior had already thrown 14 innings in the past two days but limited opposing offenses to a mere three runs, only two of which were earned.

In the bottom of the first, ULV pitcher Hayley Jaquess loaded up the bases for the Athenas with two walks to Reeve Grobecker (CMC) and Marissa Valdovinos (SC). Chloe Amarilla (CMC) ripped a line drive to left field but Rachel Ogata came charging in to make an incredible out. Grobecker was still able to tag and score while Troutman scrambled safely back to second. The Leos were able to force two more outs and limited CMS to just one run in the bottom of the frame.

Sienna Kendricks led off the second with a sharp single up the middle but Roleder erased her as a threat on the bases on the next ball in play. She went to her knees down the third base line to field the ball and still had the time and wherewithal to throw to out Kendricks at second base.

The Athenas got a runner in scoring position again in the second as Abigail Metsch (CMC) led off the inning with a big double off the wall in right center. Unfortunately, CMS stranded her on third.

Metsch stayed hot and ended the bottom of the next inning with a leaping grab on a line drive.

Valdovinos hit a one-out single in the bottom of the third and then was scored by Roleder to give CMS the 2-0 lead. Briana Halle (CMC) kept the rally going with a well-placed single through the 2-4 hole to push another across for CMS. After the third, the Athenas already had put up a 3-0 lead.

Hayley Giffin (CMC) entered the game as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fourth and instantly got on base. The freshman came off the bench for a leadoff triple that rolled all the way to the wall in right field. Giffin came in to score on a deep sacrifice fly by Troutman, caught by Hendricks on the warning track in right center.

The Leopards scratched one run in the top of the sixth and then tacked on four in the seventh. Carly Condon singled up the middle, advanced to second on a wild pitch and then third on an infield single by Kendricks. Angelica DeAngelo singled out to center to bring home Condon and break the scoring drought. La Verne led off the top of the seventh with a solo homer by Melissa Garcia and then singles by Shelby Tevis and Condon put two runners on with two outs. The Athenas elected to pitch to the SCIAC's Athlete of the Year and Alexis Schiff smacked a three-run blast to give the Leos the 5-4 lead.

Without a CMS rally in the bottom of the frame, the two teams will square off again for the "if necessary" Championship Game immediately.

Box Score

By Emily Nordhoff
Sports Information Director

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