THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Blake Lewis sent the Cal Lutheran softball team home with a split against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps after she roped a walk-off double down the right field line to win the second game of the doubleheader in thrilling fashion. The Regals scored six runs in the seventh to win 10-9 after dropping game one 3-0 at Hutton Field on Saturday afternoon.
CLU got off to a quick start in game two by putting up three quick runs in the bottom of the first. Lewis hit a deep shot to the right field wall for an RBI double and Makenna Pellerin followed with a triple to right center to bring in two runs and give the Regals an early 3-0 lead.
The Athenas scraped across a run in the third and put together a big five-run fifth inning to swap three-run leads and go up 6-3. CMS added two more runs in the sixth and added a solo homerun in the seventh to go up 9-4.
Trailing by five runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Regals needed some late inning magic. Taylor Beacham reached base afterdrawing a one-out walk and Liz Mertel followed with a sharp single to center field prompting CMS to change pitchers. Antonia Rapisardi came up to the plate and hit a ground ball that went right through the shortstop's legs allowing Beacham to come around and score. With two runners on, Courtney Sooy smacked a deep three-run homerun to center field to bring CLU within one, 9-8.
Christina Hunter reached on another error from the Athenas shortstop and Olivia Leyva singled to right field to set the stage for Lewis. The junior designated hitter came up and hit a line drive down the right field line to score Hunter and Leyva to give the Regals a 10-9 walk off victory.
Sooy improved her record in the circle to 5-7 after appearing as a relief pitcher late in game two. She pitched 2.2 innings and allowed four hits and three earned runs, but helped her cause on offense with her second homerun in as many days and three RBIs.
Lewis went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs in the win and Leyva and Mertel also added two hits and two runs. Hunter was the third Regal with two runs scored in the game and she also had a hit and a walk.
In the first game of the day, the Violet and Gold outhit the Athenas eight to seven, but could not come up with timely hits as they left eight runners stranded. Four errors in the game also gifted two runs to CMS in the low scoring affair.
Anna Gurr (2-1) shut down CLU at the plate, pitching a complete game shutout for the Athenas and striking out seven.
Sooy also pitched a complete game and just allowed one earned run but errors proved costly.
Lewis led CLU with two hits at the plate while six other Regals came up with one hit apiece.
Cal Lutheran (7-10, 7-4 SCIAC) will be back in action at Hutton Field next weekend for a doubleheader with Occidental on Saturday, Mar. 7 starting at 12:00 p.m.
Box Score: CMS 3, CLU 0
Box Score: CLU 10, CMS 9
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