by Matt Cresto
Staff Writer
Women’s softball showed no mercy Saturday against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and took the lead in the conference standings with a 12-4 record.
The Leopards trailed the Athenas by a game before Saturday, and when the dust cleared they found themselves with the tables turned and the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship in their hands.
Sophomore pitcher Lacey Cramer put together back-to-back wins against CMS, only allowing two runs in both games combined.
The dominating pitching by Cramer allowed ULV hitters to step up to the plate with confidence. They scored seven in the first game and 10 in the second. The second game was called in the sixth inning because of the mercy rule.
Coach Julie Kline was extremely pleased with her team’s performance.
“We emphasized fundamental softball, offensively and defensively,” said Kline.
The Leopards got the scoring started in the third inning with a two-out RBI double by freshman Gina Meza, scoring freshman Augie Torres. Torres led off the inning with a line-drive single over third base.
The Leopards came back again to put another run on the board in the fifth. Freshman leadoff hitter Libby Ramos slapped a single over the shortstop to start the inning. She was then sacrificed over to third on a bunt by junior Robin Haaker.
With a runner in scoring position, Meza ripped her second double down the third base line, almost decapitating the the CMS third baseman. The double scored Ramos, giving the Leopards a 2-0 lead.
The Leopards decided to put the Athenas away in the top of the seventh as they put together a five-run inning.
The inning was started off with three consecutive singles. Ramos beat out a slow roller in the hole at short. Haaker followed with a bunt-single down the third base line . Meza capped off a 4-for-4 performance with a single to right.
After a force out at home, senior Kadie Tillema powered a one-out single through the six hole to score Ramos.
Freshman Jackie Russo doubled an 0-2 pitch down the right-field line, scoring two runs.
The Leopards scored again on an error by the CMS third baseman and ended the scoring on Ramos’ second hit of the inning, bringing in one run.
CMS tried for one last comeback in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out rally, but could only stir up one run, and the Leopards put the Athenas away 7-1 in Game 1 of the double header.
The Leopards did not stop the beating after game one. La Verne jumped out early in the top of the second inning. After freshman Sue Whitcher led off with a single, Russo hammered her second double of the day scoring Whitcher.
The Leopards brought their mashing sticks to the plate again in the third inning, scoring five runs. Torres started the inning with a double. Ramos’ singled and Haaker followed with a triple. Meza singled home Haaker.
Whitcher was then hit by a pitch, the first of two in the game. Senior Jennifer Thompson brought in the final two runs of the inning on a double. A double by Whitcher in the fourth inning scored Haaker and Meza.
La Verne collected two more runs to put the icing on the cake in the sixth inning. That was enough for the umpires to call the game on account of the mercy rule, 10-1.
Haaker led the Leopards in Game 2 with three hits. Whitcher contributed two hits and was hit by a pitch twice.
Cramer continued her dominance on the mound from Game 1, and allowed only two hits through six innings during the second game.
“This was a team effort all the way,” said Kline. “We win together and we lose together. Today we won together.”
ULV heads into its last conference games against Occidental in first place, holding their playoff destiny in their own hands. Redlands trails ULV by one game, but a La Verne sweep at Eagle Rock on April 8 assures the Leopards the conference title and a playoff berth.
