Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – In a rematch of the 2015 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship Game, the Athenas of Claremont-M-S would prevail at Palmer Field picking up the sweep 8-0 and 12-5.

In a much anticipated match-up between the Poets and Athenas, CMS would come out on top proving a tough test at home for the Purple & Gold.

Whittier has now dropped four straight conference games as they drop to 8-10, 1-7 SCIAC, while CMS remains atop the SCIAC Standings at 18-5-1, 11-1 SCIAC.   

Game 1 (L, 8-0)

Carly Roleder got the Athenas on the scoreboard in the top half of the first with a two run blast to dead center and they didn't look back as they would add one in the third and a five spot in the sixth en route to the 8-0 shutout.

Whittier gathered four hits coming from Kacey Whitney (Cypress, Calif.), Marialena Ahern (Fremont, Calif.), Megan Heal (San Jose, Calif.), and Samantha Blum (San Jose, Calif.) but couldn't bring any runs across as they would be shutout for the second time this season.

Blum was tagged with her fifth loss on the season as she gave up five earned runs on nine hits.      

Game 2 (L, 12-5)

Whittier proved a tough test in game two keeping the game close in the first three innings.  After giving up two runs in the top half of the first on another Roleder two run shot, this time to left, Whittier would respond with two of their own in the bottom half of the inning. 

Whitney walked and was followed by a Montana Potts (San Diego, Calif.) single through the left side.  Ahern then doubled to left center that brought in one and Heal would bring in the second with a groundout to the shortstop.

CMS went back on top the very next inning with another two runs coming on a Shannon O'Neill single to left and a walk by Katie Savard.  Whittier got one back in the bottom half of the third with Heal reaching on an error by the shortstop allowing Potts to score who reached on another single through the left side earlier in the inning.

But a four run fourth inning would put the game out of reach despite Whittier bringing across a run in the bottom half of the frame off the bat of Whitney who singled up the middle driving in Sarah Crawford (San Diego, Calif.) who reached with a single through the left side earlier.

Another four runs were added in the sixth and seventh for the Athena's and a solo run would be added by the Poets from Lauren Gandi (Costa Mesa, Calif.) down the left field line that drove in heal but it wouldn't be enough as CMS would wrap up the seven run victory.

Potts finished 2-4 with two runs scored.  Gandi was 2-3 in her breakout game of her career with a run batted in and Crawford was 1-3 with a run scored.

Rachel Alhanati (Lake Forest, Calif.) was tagged with the loss going 3.1 innings giving up seven runs on eight hits.          

Whittier rounds out their non-conference schedule tomorrow, Sunday, March 20 when they host DePauw University in a doubleheader beginning at 12:00pm.