Abby Thompson Goes Yard Twice as CMS Softball Salvages Split with 10-1 Nightcap Win

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Abby Thompson hit two home runs, including a three-run shot in the first inning to get the Athenas jump-started, as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team took the nightcap of a doubleheader with San Diego Christian on Monday by a 10-1 final in five innings.

San Diego Christian won the opening game 2-1 after CMS had the bases loaded in the seventh with a chance at a comeback. With the split, CMS moves to 6-10 on the season, while the Hawks move to 8-10. 

After being frustrated offensively in the opener, with only four hits in a 2-1 defeat, the Athenas wasted little time in getting rolling in the nightcap, thanks to Thompson's bat. Emma Suh reached on an error and stole second, and Destiny Garcia was hit by a pitch to put two on with two out. Thompson then connected with a pitch and put it over the left field fence to give CMS a quick 3-0 lead.  

Jade Johnson left runners stranded on second and third in the bottom half, and the Athenas scored four times in the bottom of the second to pull away. Paige Zimmerman led off with a single and came home on an RBI single from Suh. Richards then had an RBI groundout and came all the way around to score on a throwing error to push the lead to 7-0. 

The Hawks got one back in the bottom of the second, but Thompson led off the third inning with a solo homer, her second round-tripper in as many at-bats, and Zimmerman doubled, stole third, and came home on a throwing error to make it a 9-1 game. Lauren Richards and Emily Nutting hit back-to-back doubles in the fourth to extend the lead to 10-1. 

Zimmerman ended up 3-for-3 with two runs scored in the nightcap, while Thompson was 2-for-3 with her four RBI. Johnson scattered seven hits over five innings to get the complete game win, after the game was called after five innings due to the eight-run rule. 

In the first game, each team managed just four hits, but the Hawks were able to score once in the first and once in the third. Amaryssa Medina took a two-hitter into the seventh, but Suh led off with a triple and came home on an RBI single from Ari Livi. Pinch runner Sophia Nguyen stole second, Garcia walked, and Madison Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, but Medina was able to field a comebacker and throw home for the second out, before getting the final out to secure the win. 

CMS will be back in action tomorrow when it faces the University of St. Katherine in another non-conference doubleheader.