LA VERNE, Calif. - The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps softball team shook off a tough-luck 3-1 defeat to La Verne in the first game of a doubleheader and came back to win the nightcap 11-3 to earn a split on Saturday. 

With the split, CMS moves to 10-5 overall and 4-2 in the SCIAC, while La Verne now stands at 9-6 overll and 3-2 in league play. 

Danica Stirling hit her first career homer in the nightcap, a three-run blast in the first inning to put CMS ahead 4-0. After La Verne got one back in the bottom half, Madison Gonzalez had a three-run double in the second to quickly give the Athenas a 7-1 lead,a nd Averi O followed with an RBI double, her second RBI of the game, to stretch it to 8-1.

Gonzalez had an RBI single in the fourth to make the score 9-1, but the Leopards were able to prolong the game in the fifth with two runs to avoid the eight-run rule for the time being. CMS got the two runs back in the sixth though, as Emma Suh had an RBI single and Giselle Lai drew a bases-loaded walk. 

Ella Yerkes started and got the win for CMS, throwing four innings, while Perri Derian closed out with two shutout innings of relief, allowing one hit. 

In the opener, Stirling had an RBI single to put CMS ahead 1-0, but La Verne was able to strike for three in the bottom of the sixth, getting a two-run single up the middle with two outs. Imani Ferris led off the seventh with a pinch-hit single, but Suh's liner to short resulted in a double play to end it. 

Brooke Goodman was 2-for-3 in the opener, while Lai was 2-for-4. 

CMS will be back in action for a pair of non-conference doubleheaders this weekend, taking on Carleton on Friday and St. Olaf on Saturday. 
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