No. 12 CMS Softball Takes Doubleheader Sweep from No. 10 Williams

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Freshman Lauren Richards had the game-winning two-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh in the opener, and the Athenas used two six-run innings to overcome an early 6-1 deficit in the nightcap, as the No. 12 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team swept No. 10 Williams in a doubleheader on Monday, winning 5-4 and 15-8.

With the wins, CMS now improves to 14-3 overall on the season, with five wins coming against top-15 teams (a sweep of No. 14 Pomona-Pitzer, a split with No. 3 Ithaca, and a sweep of No. 10 Williams). The Ephs, who just got their season started on Sunday with a sweep of Chapman, fall to 2-2 with the losses. 



Richards also threw a complete game in the opener to get the win and improve to 10-0 in the circle in her first collegiate season. Sophomore designated player Megan Perron was 2-for-3 with a homer, a triple and four RBI in the nightcap, while senior right fielder Rachel Perley had two doubles and four RBI, senior pitcher Chloe Amarllia was 4-for-5 with four runs scored, and sophomore center fielder Molly Spaniac was 3-for-3, completing a 5-for-6 doubleheader.

In the opener, the Athenas went ahead 4-1 with three runs in the second inning, as sophomore shortstop Jessica Fox hit an RBI double to put her team in front. After a Perron sacrifice fly to center, sophomore catcher Maddie Valdez had a short fly into shallow right center that was lost in the sun by the Williams outfield, turning into an RBI double. 

The Ephs clawed their way back in it, as Mackenzie Murphy had a two-run single in the fifth to make it 4-3, and an unearned run with two outs in the seventh tied it up. With the Ephs having all the momentum on their side, Amarilla came up with a big at-bat to start the bottom of the seventh, hitting a double off the wall in left to shift the momentum back towards CMS.

After Spaniac sacrificed Amarilla to third to put the winning run 60 feet away, Williams intentionally walked Perron and Valdez to load the bases and create a force at the plate. The Ephs got the second out on a shallow fly to center, but Richards came through on a 1-2 count when she went the other way and pushed an RBI single through the right side to bring home Amarilla and give the Athenas the 5-4 win. 

The doubleheader seemed destined to become a split when Williams scored five times in the third to take a 6-1 lead, but CMS came right back with six runs in the bottom of the third to go in front 7-6.

Spaniac pulled an RBI double down the right field line to make it 6-2, and after an error brought home another run, freshman Ananya Koneti went the other way for a double to plate two runs and pull the Athenas within 6-5. One out later, Perley lined a double into left-center to give CMS the lead at 7-6. 

Williams tied the score up with a run in the fourth, but Perron untied it with a two-run triple in the bottom half to score Amarilla and Spaniac, who each singled. Williams pulled within 8-6 in the top of the sixth, but CMS came back with its second six-run inning of the game to ice it.

After Amarilla singled and was sacrificed to second by Spaniac, Perron drove a pitch out into right-center field for a two-run shot to make it 11-6. Richards added an RBI single, and Perley followed with her second two-run double of the game to make it a 14-6 game. Amarilla then hit an RBI single, her second single of the inning, to close out the scoring. 

Amailla went the distance in the circle, with only one of her eight runs ending up earned, improving to 4-3 on the year, while also finishing the day 6-for-7 at the plate with six runs scored. Koneti also had a multi-hit game in the nightcap, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBI.

CMS will be back in action tomorrow when it hosts Denison for another 12 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at Athena Field.