CLAREMONT, Calif. — California Lutheran University softball finished the weekend series by visiting the Athenas of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a double header on Saturday. The Athenas took the first game 5-2 and the second 7-1 to claim the series.
The Regals carried some momentum from Friday's series opening win into game one on Saturday as junior third baseman Makayla Lopez drove in sophomore center fielder Ashley Membrere with a double to right center for a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
The score would remain the same until the top of the fifth inning, when Lopez doubled to right center and again drive in Membrere to push the lead to 2-0.
The Athenas managed to do all their damage in the bottom of the sixth. A sacrifice fly scored one. Then a throwing error allowed another. A single and a double from the Athenas scored two more before the inning ended with the Regals trailing 5-2.
Cal Lutheran was unable to narrow the gap in the top of the seventh.
The loss goes to junior Madison Gunn (0-1) who allowed only 1 earned run through six innings despite the final score.
Game two of the day saw the Athenas take an early lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the first.
Makayla Lopez, who had moved to first base for this contest, continued her hot streak with a home run in the top of the third. That homer gave Lopez an RBI in every game of the series and continued a four game hitting streak.
The Athenas answered in the bottom of the third with a two RBI double. Then in the fourth, a series of errors and wild pitches lead to three more CMS runs.
CMS would tack on an RBI single in the sixth to reach the final score of 7-1.
For Cal Lutheran, the loss goes to senior Taryn Faull (0-4) who allowed 6 hits and 3 earned runs in 3.0 innings. Freshman Mia Garcia recorded the only strikeout for the Regals in 0.2 innings of work. Senior Sammy Edmunds rounded out the game for the Regals with 2.1 innings in the circle.
The designated player, junior Ariana Mendoza was the only Regal with multiple hits in the game.
The Regals will be back on the diamond for a Saturday double header at home against conference leading Chapman (8-0) starting at 12:00pm.
Box Score: CLU 2, CMS 5; CLU 1, CMS 7
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Release by Steven Lohn, Assistant Sports Information Director
