Athenas Wrap Strong Arizona Trip with Two Wins on Sunday

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team wrapped up the 2018 NFCA Leadoff Tournament on Sunday with two more wins to finish the weekend with a 5-1 record. The Athenas defeated Pacific (OR) 9-1 in six innings in the first game before taking care of Fontbonne 8-7.

Game One - CMS defeats Pacific (OR) 9-1 (six innings)

In the first game of the doubleheader against Pacific, CMS fell behind 1-0 with an RBI single from the Boxers in the bottom of the third. CMS quickly responded with three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth, and four in the sixth to earn a run-rule victory by a 9-1 final score.

Jessica Fox (CMC) delivered a three-run homer in the top of the fourth to get CMS on the board and give the Athenas the lead. Fox's two-out homer scored Kawai Scanlan (SC) and Maddie Valdez (CMC) who had reached earlier in the inning after two quick outs by the Athenas.

CMS plated a pair of unearned runs in the fifth inning on an error and a passes ball before scoring four runs in the top of the sixth to take a 9-1 lead. The eight-run lead enacted the run-rule and, after a scoreless bottom of the sixth, gave the Athenas the victory.

Reeve Grobecker (CMC) and Briana Halle (CMC) were the lone Athenas to collect multiple hits in the game, knocking three and two, respectively.

In the circle, Anna Gurr (CMC) earned her seventh victory of the season by scattering seven hits, walking none, allowing just one run (earned), and striking out two batters.

Game Two - CMS defeats Fontbonne 8-7

In Game Two, the Athenas scored in all but one inning, but needed a two-out Molly Spaniac (CMC) single in the bottom of the seventh inning to score Megan Mendez (CMC) from second to claim an 8-7 victory. The Athenas registered 13 hits in the game, including five extra-base knocks.

Fontbonne, who was in search of their first win of the season, took an early 5-1 lead after the top of the second inning. A three-run triple by Fontbonne's Courtney Kedroski highlighted the early innings for the Griffins. The Athenas countered with a triple of their own in the bottom of the second off the bat of Reeve Grobecker. It was Grobecker's second triple of the day and scored two runs.

The Athenas scored two more in the bottom of the third on back-to-back doubles from Carly Roleder (CMC) and Briana Halle (CMC). The doubles tied the game at 5-5.

The Griffins threatened, but left three runners on base in the top of the fifth when Chloe Amarilla (CMC) got a strikeout with the bases loaded. CMS carried that momentum into the bottom of the inning and Jessica Fox singled to left field to give CMS the lead at 6-5.

Moments later, the lead flipped back to Fontbonne with a two-run top of the sixth inning.

CMS tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a two-out single by Roleder to score Grobecker.

After Anna Gurr, who came on in relief in the sixth inning, turned the Griffins away in order in the top of the seventh with three-straight strikeouts, CMS got to work in the bottom of the inning. Fox got the rally started with a one-out double to right, but she would be cut down at the plate later in the inning for the second out. After a fielder's choice and a walk, the Athenas had runners on first and second with two away. Molly Spaniac then singled to center to score the winning run from second and give the Athenas an 8-7 victory.

In the circle, Amarilla and Gurr combined for 12 strikeouts in seven innings. Gurr earned her eighth victory of the season after tossing 1.2 shutout innings and collecting three strikeouts.

With the two wins on Sunday. the Athenas finish the weekend trip with a 5-1 record and move to 10-4 overall. CMS will return home and take on the Redlands Bulldogs on Saturday in a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m.