Kat Simonelli
Editor in Chief
The softball team took the second game of its doubleheader against the No. 15 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Athenas, 2-0, Saturday at Athena Field.
After dropping game one, 8-1, to the Athenas, the Leopards found a push to get on the board and win game two.
In order for the Leopards to be able to dominate in their second game, they had to put their last game behind them and come up with a new strategy.
“The second game I think they were a lot more focused, and they came out with a plan and they implemented it,” assistant coach Raven Freret said.
“The first game we had a lot more defensive errors, in the second game we cleaned it up and didn’t make as many errors and I think that helped us win,” she said.
Junior pitcher Katy Kibbe pitched a shutout, striking out four CMS batters and allowing just five hits in seven innings.
“It was one of my better games,” Kibbe said. “It’s always good to not give up any runs so every time we go out that’s the goal.
It’s been a struggle, but it’s nice to not let in any runs.”
The Leopards scored in the second inning taking an early lead.
Sophomore third baseman Amanda Chavez doubled to left center field, bringing Kibbe home to score, 1-0.
Kibbe finished 2-for-3 at the plate.
With no further scoring for five innings, La Verne finally managed once more.
In the top of the seventh inning, junior right fielder Mackenzie Dutton hit a solo home run deep into centerfield.
This is Dutton’s sixth home run of the season.
“I was just really happy, I was having a really rough day, so I was just glad I didn’t give up and had a clutch hit at the right time, so that was really exciting,” Dutton said.
The Athenas’ could not answer back in the bottom of the seventh, as the Leopards came out with the win.
In game one, CMS managed to score in every inning to pull away from the Leopards and take an 8-1 win.
Instead of facing their loss with negativity, the Leopards saw it as a chance to redeem themselves and come back strong.
“I think the first game really motivated us,” Kibbe said. “I think we were just so mad about the first game that we just decided to just go for it and that’s how we should be all the time.”
The Leopards will next face Occidental at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. April 10 at home at Campus West.
They will follow with a doubleheader against Pomona-Pitzer at noon and 2 p.m Saturday at Pomona-Pitzer softball stadium.
Kat Simonelli can be reached at kathryn.simonelli@laverne.edu and on Twitter @KatSimonelli.
