CMS Softball Splits With Pacific Lutheran in First Division III Doubleheader of 2022

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Emma Suh and Ellie Novogradac each had three hits, and Jade Johnson threw five innings of relief without allowing an earned run as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team defeated Pacific Lutheran 7-4 in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Athena Field.

Pacific Lutheran bounced back in the nightcap for an 11-4 win in a game that was shortened to five innings due to daylight. With the split, CMS moves to 1-4 on the season, although the first three games were all against non-Division III competition (one against Azusa Pacific and two against Vanguard), while Pacific Lutheran moves to 6-2.

CMS scored three times in the second inning of the opener to take a 4-0 lead, capped off by a hard-hit single from Destiny Garcia. The Lutes, though, scored four times in the third to tie the score back up at 4-4. 

The Athenas responded immediately, as Suh doubled to lead off the bottom half of the third and was singled in by Lauren Richards. After the Athenas loaded the bases, Paige Zimmerman walked for an RBI to make it a 6-4 game. Suh then added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to score Kaili Aqui.  

Suh finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Novogradac was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run scored. Johnson allowed five hits over her five innings of work, striking out four and walking none.

Pacific Lutheran broke open the nightcap with a six-run second inning to take a 7-0 lead and ended up winning 11-4 after the game was called. Suh was 1-for-2 with an RBI and Novogradac was 1-for-3 with an RBI as both continued their hot afternoons at the plate, while Kaili Aqui was 2-for-2 and Ari Livi and Ashleigh Adkins each drove in runs. 

CMS will return to action next weekend when it begins league play with a three-game series against Cal Lutheran, traveling to Thousand Oaks on Friday and then hosting the Regals for a doubleheader on Saturday.