Softball Southern Conference

Chattanooga tops Ohio State 2-1 in 10 innings


CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.-Melissa Ramirez hit a game-tying home run in the seventh
inning and the scored the winning run in the 10th to lead the Lady Mocs to
a 2-1 victory over 29th ranked Ohio State Monday night before a crowd of
728 at Frost Stadium.

Chattanooga (20-8) captured its second win this season over a team ranked
in the top 30 (a win over 27th-ranked Baylor was the other), and it snapped
Ohio State's 14-game winning streak.

Ohio State (27-6) took a 1-0 lead in the first when the Buckeyes had three
straight singles to open the game. Jennifer Link opened with a single,
moved to second on Anna Smith's infield hit and scored on Wendy Allen's
hit up the middle.

Ramirez, the Southern Conference's leading hitter, blasted her fourth homer
of the season to deep right-center leading off the seventh to tie the game
1-1. Neither team scored in the eighth or ninth and then went to the
international tie-breaker in the 10th.

OSU could not advance its runner past second as Kristi DeVries fouled out,
Elizabeth Kacsanek popped out and Link struck out.

UTC started the 10th with Ramirez at second base and Jada Pescatore was
intentionally walked. Jill Crawford's bunt was placed perfectly between the
pitcher and third baseman for an infield hit, which loaded the bases with
no outs. The next two batters struck out swinging, but a wild pitch from
Katie Chain (10-3) with Ashleigh Herman at bat allowed Ramirez to score the
winning run.

Awbrey Winckler settled down after the first inning to even her record at
6-6. She scattered six hits, struck out seven and walked two in 10 innings.

Chattanooga plays a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday at ACC foe North
Carolina at 2:30 p.m. The Lady Mocs' next home action is a key Southern
Conference series against UNC Wilmington with a doubleheader Friday at 5
p.m. and a single game Saturday at 1.