CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Cal Lutheran softball team saw its six-game Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) win streak snapped as it was swept by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Friday afternoon, falling 2-1 in game one and 7-4 in the night-cap.
In game one, CMS struck first when Alexa Heydenberk doubled to lead off the game and then scored on a Katie Savard double.
CLU starting pitcher Katelyn Downing would settle down after that, holding the Athenas to just two hits over the next four innings. In the bottom of the fourth, she gave up a triple to Morgan Beltz but then got Melanie Carson to hit a grounder that Liz Mertel was able to turn into a 5-4-2 double play.
The Athenas would tack on another run in the bottom of the fifth after another RBI-double from Katie Savard but the Regals would respond in the top half of the next inning. Kelly Lockwood started things off with single and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Downing. Kayla Sakamoto advanced Lockwood to third on a ground out and then with two outs, Blake Lewis ripped an RBI single up the middle to make the score 2-1.
Downing retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth but CMS pitcher Hayley Schultz was able to get a strikeout and two fly outs to end the game and seal the victory,
Schultz (3-1) earned the win after pitching all 7.0 innings and only allowing four hits.
Downing (2-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs on six hits in 6.0 innings of work.
Shonna Christianson, Stephanie Martello, Lewis and Lockwood had the hits for the Regals.
Game two got off to a much better start for Cal Lutheran as it scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Despite CMS getting the first two CLU batters out, Cal Lutheran was still able to score after Lewis singled and Martello followed with a run-scoring triple. Danika Green connected for an RBI single in the next at-bat and put CLU up 2-0.
The Athenas would get two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning following an error and a wild pitch.
After a scoreless second, Martello doubled with two outs in the top of the third to give CLU a scoring chance but CMS game two starting pitcher Kaylilani Minami would get a groundout to end inning and the threat.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps pushed across a run in the bottom of the inning and then two more in the fourth to gain a 5-2 lead.
The Regals would get it to within one in the top of the fifth when Kayla Sakamoto and Lewis led off the inning with back-to-back singles and then Christianson slapped a run-scoring base-hit. Just one batter later, Andrea Brackpool brought in pinch-runner Christina Hunter on a sacrifice fly and made the score 5-4.
Unfortunately for CLU, the Athenas would score two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, effectively putting the game out of a reach.
Minami (2-4) earned the win in the circle for CMS, pitching all 7.0 innings while giving up four runs on eight hits.
Courtney Sooy (5-4) suffered the loss for CLU after giving up five earned runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings of work.
Lewis and Martello each had two hits for the Regals while Tara Robinson was 2-for-4 with two RBIs to lead the Athenas.
Cal Lutheran (10-6, 6-2 SCIAC) will be back in action on Saturday, March 15, when it hosts Whittier for a double-header. First pitch of game one is set for 12:00 p.m.
Game 1 Box Score: CMS 2 CLU 1
Game 2 Box Score: CMS 7 CLU 4
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