Athenas Set Sights on SCIAC Tournament after Split at Cal Lu

Athenas Set Sights on SCIAC Tournament after Split at Cal Lu

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Athenas of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball earned the Game One victory over Cal Lutheran on Saturday, edging the Regals 1-0. The low scoring contest was scoreless through the first three innings, until Kawai Scanlan (SC) knocked in Chloe Amarilla (CMC) to put CMS on top 1-0 in the top of the fourth. Game Two did not fall in favor of the Athenas as they were run-ruled by Cal Lu 9-1 in five innings.

Game One: CMS defeats Cal Lutheran 1-0

After allowing a hit in the bottom of the first, Anna Gurr (CMC) sat the Regals down in order in the second and third.

CMS put a dent in the board in the top of the fourth, sparked by a lead-off single from Amarilla. Carly Roleder (CMC) put down a sacrifice bunt to advance Amarilla, and Briana Halle (CMC) moved her to third after reaching on an error. Scanlan singled through the left side to give the Athenas a 1-0 advantage, and this proved enough to win the game behind Gurr's stellar performance in the circle.

Gurr tossed the complete game shutout, her sixth of the season, to earn her 15th win of the year. She allowed just three hits in the contest. Amarilla led the Athenas offensively going 3-3 at the plate.

Game Two: Cal Lutheran defeats CMS 9-1

CMS jumped on the board first, bringing a run across in the top of the first before the Cal Lu offense exploded for nine runs to run-rule the Athenas and take the season series 3-1.

Molly Spaniac (CMC) was the first baserunner to reach in the top of the first, beating out a bunt single before advancing on a wild pitch. A ball put in play by Amarilla moved Spaniac to third and she came in to score on a squeeze bunt by Roleder to put the Athenas in front 1-0.

The Regals retaliated with a two spot in the home half of the inning to take a 2-1 lead and Amarilla was lifted in the circle for Gurr. Cal Lu kept rolling in the bottom of the second, tagging Gurr for five runs on six hits before Megan Perron (CMC) come on in relief to close out the inning.

Perron kept the Regals quite through the next two innings, adding a pair of strikeouts to her day. In the bottom of the fifth, Cal Lu strung together a pair of singles to put two on. Both came around to score on a double to left by Kendall Martin, ending the game in run-rule fashion by a final of 9-1.

Megan Perron tossed the final three and a third innings, striking out three and allowing two runs on four hits.

Amarilla led the offense, adding two hits to her day for a total of five.

CMS has clinched a spot in the 2018 SCIAC Tournament, despite splitting the final doubleheader of the regular season. More information will be available next week at cmsathletics.org.