BELTON (March 19, 2009)--The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team could not come up with enough offense to overcome early deficits in both games and the Cru was swept in a non-conference doubleheader by Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Thursday afternoon in Belton. UMHB dropped a 4-0 decision in game one and lost game two 3-1. The Cru is now 7-5 overall on the season. The Athenas, ranked 24th in the country, improve to 14-3 on the year with the two victories.

CMS grabbed a 1-0 first inning lead and never looked back in a 4-0 game one victory. Melissa Munoz singled home an unearned run to make it 1-0 in the top of the first inning. The Athenas would add a run on a bases-loaded walk in the top of the fifth. CMS would then add two more insurance runs in the top of the sixth on Emily Coleman’s pinch-hit RBI single and a run-scoring wild pitch. The Cru would only get two runners into scoring position in the game. Kelsey Greeson took the loss for UMHB after giving up one earned run and two hits through four and two-thirds innings of work. Greeson struck out six and walked five. Erika Weingart threw a complete-game, three-hitter for the Athenas to raise her record to 4-1. Caitlin Wells has two of UMHB’s three hits in the game. Munoz finished with two of CMS’ four hits in the game.

CMS took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of game two and then held off UMHB’s comeback attempt for a 3-1 victory. Katerina Yale and Emily Nordhoff had RBI singles to make it 2-0 in the first. The Cru would use three straight singles and a bases-loaded walk to Megan Bohne to cut it to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth, but UMHB left the bases loaded. The Cru would put a runner on third with one out in the sixth, but could not push across the tying run and CMS added an insurance run on a throwing error in the top of the seventh. Mandy Staton (3-1) took the loss for UMHB after scattering three hits and giving up two runs in five innings. Julia Cruz raised her record to 8-1 with a complete-game, eight-hitter for the Athenas. Delani Hurst and Erica Salazar had two hits apiece for UMHB. Michelle Harvey had two of CMS’ five hits in the game.

UMHB will now continue its home stand with the start of American Southwest Conference West Division play tomorrow. The Cru will host Howard Payne University to open a four-game series. Tomorrow’s doubleheader has been moved back one hour and will now start at 2:00 PM. Saturday’s doubleheader will start at noon, with all of the games to be played at Dee Dillon Field.