REDLANDS, Calif. - Robert Litscher threw two touchdown passes to Noah Macapulay in the second quarter and added a touchdown run in the third as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps football team earned a 28-14 road win over Redlands on Saturday afternoon at Ted Runner Stadium. 

With the win, CMS moves to 4-5 overall and 2-5 in the SCIAC and will host its season finale next Saturday. Redlands slips to 6-3 overall and 4-3 in the SCIAC. 

The Stags trailed 7-0 at the end of the first quarter, but struck for 21 points in the second to seize control. Litscher opened the second quarter with a 21-yard pass to Quintin Craig down to the Redlands 18-yard line, and three plays later, Cooper Nixon ran it in from six yards out to tie the score. 

The CMS defense then forced Redlands into a three-and-out, and the Stags took over at their own 42-yard line. Nixon rushed three times for 13 yards, and on a 3rd-and-9, Litscher found Macapulay from 44 yards out to put CMS ahead for the first time at 14-7 with 7:37 left in the half. 

The Stags forced another three-and-out after Cesar Fernandez broke up a third-down pass attempt. Litscher connected with James Ryan for an 18-yard pass, and then found Macapulay from 18 yards out to push the lead to 21-7 with 2:34 to go in the half. 

CMS opened up the second half pn the front foot, as Jack Davis had a tackle for a three-yard loss on the first play to force another three-and-out. Nixon then had a 15-yard carry to the Redlands 35-yard line on third down, and three plays later, Litscher ran in from 23 yards out to extend the lead to 28-7. 

Redlands strung a pair of first downs together on its ensuing drive, but Tom Burton had a key sack to force the Bulldogs backwards. Redlands finally ended the 28-0 CMS run with a two-yard touchdown pass with 5:14 left to close the deficit to 28-14.

CMS recovered the ensuing onsides kick and Samuel Brewer pinned the Bulldogs deep in their own end at the three-yard line. Michael Houk ended the final Redlands drive with a sack on fourth down to finish off the victory. 

The first eight CMS games this year had all been decided by one possession (eight points or less), although the Stags led 14-0 on opening day against Lake Forest before a harmless touchdown with five seconds to play. 

Nixon had 31 carries for 144 yards and a touchdown to lead the CMS offense. It was his third straight game over 100 yards, behind a revamped offensive line featuring Teddy Lewis and Enzo Benzan at tackles, Aseli Fangupo and Zeke Vallez at guards, and Griffin King at center, with Roman Ramirez and Wilson Schwartz handling the tight end roles. The Stags have had 656 rushing yards in the last four contests, with Nixon averaging 140.0 per game in that span. 

Litscher finished 7-for-11 for 132 yards and two touchdowns, with Macapulay finishing with six receptions for 91 yards and both scores. George Kruger and Gabe Gangi-Saroukhanioff each had six tackles to lead the defensive effort, while Xzavier Sablan had five tackles, all solo. 

CMS will host its season finale next weekend against either La Verne or Pomona-Pitzer, depending on the results of this evening's games.