Amanda Melodia lifts Softball to split with Claremont-M-S

Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – Freshman Amanda Melodia (Placentia, Calif.) had a stellar weekend capping off the four game stretch with another win, this time against Claremont-M-S helping the Whittier College Softball team come away with a split during their Strike Out Cancer Event.

Game 1 (L, 11-3)

The Poets were matched up against CMS ace Anna Gurr in game one and she proved tough to hit with WC totaling three runs on six hits.  CMS added three runs over the first two innings getting after Poet starter Sam Casanas (La Habra, Calif.).  They tacked on another three in the 4^th to open the game up until the Poets were able to get on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning thanks to Brittany Attaway (Claremont, Calif.) who doubled to left scoring Melodia, who pinch ran for Marialena Ahern (Fremont, Calif.) after her single up the middle.

Trailing 6-1, Whittier still couldn't slow down the CMS bats as they would add another five in the top half of the 5^th behind a three-run blast from Fox that put the game out of reach.

WC got two back in the bottom half of the frame thanks to freshman Monique Amaro (Whittier, Calif.) who sent a pinch-hit two run shot to right center but it was a little too late, as the Athenas would secure the victory in five innings.     

Casanas went a complete game and picked up the loss dropping to 3-4 on the season.  On offense, Hayley Wishner (Chino, Calif.) was 2-2, Attaway was 1-2 with an RBI, Ahern was 1-3 and Amaro was 1-1 with a run scored and two runs batted in.   

Game 2 (W, 3-2)  

The second game of the doubleheader was a pitchers dual as Gurr and Melodia went after it both throwing complete games.  Gurr looked to pick up the clean sweep on the mound but the Poets had something to say about that edging CMS 3-2 and handing her, her sixth loss on the season.

This time around the Poets went on top this time as Alli Fonseca (Pico Rivera, Calif.) drove in Jade Sanchez (Whittier, Calif.) in the 4^th.

CMS rebounded though and brought across two in the 6^th to claim their first lead of the game with Perron singling down the left field line that plated two.  But that lead soon evaporated as the Purple & Gold would answer with the eventual game-tying and winning runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Sierra Rodriguez (Whittier, Calif.) led off the inning reaching on an error by the shortstop.  Ahern then stepped in and reached on a fielder's choice but due to an error by the third baseman, both runners were able to move up into scoring position.  The very next batter, the miscues continued for CMS with Sanchez reaching on an error by the second baseman bringing in the tying run.  Then to end the inning, Attaway would drive one to the left side, but again another error by the shortstop would put WC on top. 

Those four errors proved costly for the Athenas as Melodia would shut down the CMS bats in the 7^th en route to picking up her sixth win on the season giving up two unearned runs on six hits. 

Fonseca finished 2-3 scoring once.  Sanchez was 1-2 with two runs scored and an RBI and Rodriguez was 1-2 coming around to score once.