CMS Softball Pulls Within One Game of First with 8-4 Win over SCIAC-Leading Chapman

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Emma Suh and Abby Thompson were each 3-for-4 as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team earned an 8-4 win over SCIAC-leading Chapman on Friday at Athena Field.

With the win, CMS pulls within one game of the Panthers for first place in the SCIAC, with the Athenas now standing at 9-4 and Chapman at 10-3. 

Chapman scored the game's opening run in the top of the first, but CMS responded with seven straight runs to take control. In the second inning, Abby Thompson led off with a single, and Jacqueline Solomon had a bunt single to put two runners on, before Madison Gonzalez gave the Athenas the lead for good with a two-run single up the middle. 

In the third inning, Rachel Sapirstein earned a walk and Thompson went the other way for an RBI triple to give CMS an insurance run. Suh had a two-run single in the fourth to make it 5-1, and CMS then used its baserunning prowess to turn an RBI single from Sapirstein into a two run play.

After Suh scored from second with the first run, the throw from the outfield bounced in to the cutoff, and Destiny Garcia read the wild throw and took off for third. When that throw went into third, Sapirstein darted into second base behind the play, and the Panthers then tried to throw her out. Garcia then got up after her slide into third, and sprinted home for the second run of the play, making the score 7-1.

Chapman was able to score three runs in the sixth to close it to 7-4, but Sapirstein drove home Suh in the bottom half to make the final score 8-4. 

Suh's full line score was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Thompson was 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI, and Sapirstein was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI. Shipley allowed four hits and struck out five over 5.1 innings of work to get the win and improve to 7-4 on the season. 

The two teams complete their three-game series with a doubleheader at Chapman tomorrow, and the Athenas could move into first place if they take both.