CMS Softball Falls to Vanguard in Final Tune-Up Before Start of SCIAC Play

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team fell 6-0 to Vanguard in a non-conference game at Athena Field on Friday afternoon, as the Athenas beat the rain to get one game in before opening SCIAC play tomorrow against Chapman.

With the loss, CMS slips to 1-2 on the young season, while Vanguard improves to 2-2 as Vanessa Dwyer threw a complete-game four-hitter to get the shutout. The second game was called in the top of the third inning with Vanguard leading 3-0 due to rain. 

The Athenas nearly took the lead in the third, as senior right fielder Rachel Perley led off with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice from sophomore shortstop Jessica Fox. Junior catcher Savannah Green singled to put runners on first and third, and senior pitcher Chloe Amarilla followed with a sharp grounder to second. Emily Hill came home with the throw, and Perley slid in for a close play at the plate, but she was called out to keep the game scoreless. 

Vanguard then took the lead in the top of the fourth with a quick two-out rally. Amarilla pitched around cleanup hitter Samantha Shaffer with two outs and nobody on base (Shaffer came into the day hitting 8-12 on the year with four homers) to put a runner on first, and Tatiana Tabizon then followed with a drive into the right-center field gap that just enough to clear the fence and give Vanguard a 2-0 lead. 

Amarilla had a bid to get one of the runs back in the fifth, after freshman Ananya Koneti singled, pinch runner Megan Mendez stole second, and Green drew a walk to put runners on first and third. Amarilla's liner, though was snagged in center field by Amber Huffman to end the threat. 

Vanguard then broke the game open with four runs in the top of the seventh to push the lead to 6-0. Sophomore Megan Perron had a pinch-hit single in the seventh to improve to 3-for-5 on the year at the plate, but that was all the Athenas could muster as Dwyer was able to finish off her shutout. 

CMS will begin defense of its 2018 SCIAC title tomorrow, when it welcomes in Chapman for a 12 p.m. doubleheader.