CMC75 Moments: 2012 Softball Wins First SCIAC Tournament Title
As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moments, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.
Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
2012 Softball: Athenas Win First SCIAC Tournament
CMS softball program had rapid growth under Head Coach Betsy Hipple after she started in 2006, earning the program's first NCAA bid in 2009 and then sharing the SCIAC title with Redlands in 2010, the program's first championship in 11 years. The two teams tied for the SCIAC title again in 2011, but the SCIAC Tournament Championship remained elusive for CMS, with Redlands winning the title at Athena Field two years in a row, including a 3-2, nine-inning heartbreaker in 2011 in the winner's bracket.
In 2012, though, CMS turned the tables and broke through at Redlands as the second seed for their first tournament championship, shutting out the Bulldogs 2-0 to earn the title. Harmony Palmer doubled in the first and came home on a squeeze bunt from Emily Lopez, and Lopez added a second RBI in the fourth on a double, scoring Michaela Ecklund. That was all pitcher Hayley Schulz would need, as she worked out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth and left a runner on second after a leadoff double in the sixth, before retiring the side in order in the seventh to secure the title.
CMS kept the run going at the NCAA Championships, defeating Louisiana College 9-2 and then upsetting host Texas-Tyler 3-1 on a Palmer RBI double and a two-run single from Rebecca King to start out the regionals with a 2-0 record. Texas-Tyler would come back through the loser's bracket to eliminate CMS 2-0 in the regional finals, but the Athenas two years later would win their first regional title (also at Redlands). CMS earned a 2-1 win over No. 2 Linfield, behind another pitching gem from Schulz, before taking East Texas Baptist to three games in the super regionals.
Lopez (first team), Schultz (second team), King (third team) and Palmer (third team) were 2012 All-West Region selections, while Rebecca Gularte and Emily Nordhoff added second-team All-SCIAC honors. Palmer would win first-team All-America honors for the second time in her career as a senior in 2013, hitting .486 (after also winning as a freshman in 2010 with a .468 average).
Harmony Palmer:
This was such a fun walk down memory lane. For me, the 2012 season was me playing with my best friends. To this day, I would say I regularly keep in touch with and see around five people from this 2012 team. We went through the highest of highs and lowest of lows together that year -- going through shared adversity helped deepen our bonds with one another that, to this day, is very strong. It's hard to replicate future experiences in life more than playing college athletics, and I am so glad I played all four years! One of the best decisions I made in college :)
2012 Softball Roster
Head Coach: Betsy Hipple
Assistant Coaches: Gerry Lopez, Jake Campbell, Oli Keohohou
Amanda Banducci (Sr., P/IF, CMC)
Morgan Beltz (So., C, CMC)
Michelle Brody (Sr., IF, CMC)
Rebecca Ciszewski (So., UT, CMC)
Gracie Coburn (Fr., OF, CMC)
Hannah Dunham (So., C, CMC)
Chelsea Durgin (So., IF, CMC)
Katie Echavia (Fr., UT, CMC)
Michaela Ecklund (So., IF, CMC)
Rebecca Gularte (Sr., P, Scripps)
Rebecca King (Sr., C, Scripps)
Kendall Kritzik (Jr., OF, CMC)
Megan Latta (So., OF, CMC)
Shelby Long (Fr., UT, CMC)
Emily Lopez (Sr., IF, CMC)
Megan Morris (Sr., OF, CMC)
Emily Nordhoff (Sr., IF, CMC)
Harmony Palmer (Jr., IF, CMC)
Hayley Schultz (Fr., P. CMC)