Abby Thompson's 2-run double was the difference (photo by Caelyn Smith)
Abby Thompson's 2-run double was the difference (photo by Caelyn Smith)

Thompson's Clutch Double Gives CMS Softball a 2-1 Road Win over Whittier

WHITTIER, Calif. – Abby Thompson hit a two-run, two-out double in the top of the sixth inning to give the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team a 2-1 win over Whittier in the first game of a three-game series on Friday afternoon.

With the win, CMS improves to 16-14 and 8-5 in the SCIAC, while Whittier falls to 18-10 overall and 6-4 in the SCIAC with the loss.

CMS trailed 1-0 heading into the sixth inning, but Emma Suh was able to start the winning rally with a one-out single. With two outs and two on, Thompson drove a ball into the right-center field gap to score both Suh and Paige Zimmerman as the Athenas went ahead 2-1.

Lauren Richards yielded an unlucky run in the first on a walk and two bunts, but settled in after that and finished off a three-hit victory, winning a pitcher's duel with the Poets' Katelyn Calvetti, who also allowed three hits.

Whittier did have a runner reach second with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but Richards was able to get a groundout to Suh at second to end the mini-threat. She then retired the side in order in the seventh on a strikeout and

Thompson was 2-for-3 on the day to account for two of the three CMS hits, after also leading off the second inning with a single.

The two teams will finish off a three-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader at Athena Field, beginning at 12 p.m.