LADY MOCS RALLY IN LATE INNINGS BUT DROP 8-6 DECISION TO NO. 2 ALABAMA
Tuscaloosa, Ala. ? Inclement weather delayed the first pitch in the Lady Mocs’ doubleheader against No. 2 Alabama, but that didn’t stop the Lady Mocs from battling from behind as the team fell 8-6 in game one.
Chattanooga had 11 hits to Alabama’s eight and remained perfect on defense with no errors to the Crimson Tide’s two errors.
The Crimson Tide scored seven runs in the first three innings, including a big four-run second inning to build a strong lead over the Lady Mocs until the top of the fourth.
Sophomore Ashley Cuticchia (Rising Fawn, Ga.) picked up the first hit for the Lady Mocs in the first game in the top of the fourth before advancing to second after freshman designated player Tia Blosser (Knoxville, Tenn.) walked.
Alabama picked up another run in the bottom of the fourth off of Brittany Rogers’ single and stolen base before Lauren Parker hit an RBI double to add to the Crimson Tide’s run column.
Senior first baseman Alyssa Edwards (Geneva, N.Y.) hit a RBI double, her seventh double and 30th RBI on the season, to left center to score Cuticchia but Blosser was thrown out at home for the second out. And Edwards was stranded on second as the game went into the bottom of the fourth with the score 7-1.
Sophomore third baseman Toni Hutchison (Madison, Tenn.) picked up the team’s third hit with a lead off single up the middle in the top of the fifth. She advanced to second on junior shortstop Tara Tembey’s (Folsom, Calif.) ground out to first base.
Senior second baseman Brittney Whittier (Scottsdale, Ariz.) reached first on an error by the third baseman to put runners on first and second with one out. Sophomore right fielder Laci Upchurch (Madison, Tenn.) walked to load the bases with junior pinch hitter Ashlan Clarkson (Chickamauga, Ga.) coming to the plate. Clarkson hit a sacrifice ground out to score Hutchison closing out the Lady Mocs’ at bat with a 8-2 score.
Freshman catcher Brittany Eason (Chattanooga, Tenn.) snagged another hit for the Lady Mocs in the top of the sixth with a lobbed ball over the first baseman before Hutchison picked up her second single of the game to the left side, advancing Eason to second. Tembey nailed a hard ground ball to the right side to load the bases but all three were left on.
Upchurch hit her ninth home run of the season to lead off the top of the seventh inning. Cuticchia earned her second single of the game before taking two bases before advancing home on Edwards’ RBI single up the middle making the score 8-4.
Both runners advanced on Eason’s ground out before Hutchison reached first on an error, scoring Blosser and advancing freshman pinch runner Nicole D’Apice (Knoxville, Tenn.) to third. Tembey hit a single up the middle to score D’Apice and advance Hutchison to second narrowing the margin to 8-6 with two outs.
Senior pitcher Ashley Frizzell (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) was charged with the loss making her overall record 10-10.
Alabama’s Chrissy Owens captures the win and improves her record to 20-2.
SOFTBALL FALLS TO NO. 2 ALABAMA IN GAME TWO AFTER BIG FIFTH INNING
Tuscaloosa, Ala. ? Chattanooga (26-24) hung with the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide (42-4) in game two until a big fifth inning increased the margin with the Lady Mocs falling 8-1 on Wednesday night.
Senior first baseman Alyssa Edwards (Geneva, N.Y.) went 2-for-3 with both hits being doubles, capturing half of the Lady Mocs’ four hits.
Chattanooga got on base quickly with senior left fielder Jeannie Cochran (Maryville, Tenn.) reaching first on four straight balls to start off game two but was thrown out at second on a double play.
Edwards earned her second double of the day on her hit to right center on a 0-1 count to start off Chattanooga’s offense in the top of the second. Senior second baseman Brittney Whittier (Scottsdale, Ariz.) advanced Edwards to third on her single up the middle but both runners were left on going into the bottom of the inning.
Sophomore right fielder Laci Upchurch (Madison, Tenn.) led off the third inning with a walk before being thrown out at second with Cochran reaching on a fielder’s choice. Cochran stole second before advancing to third on a passed ball. Freshman designated player Tia Blosser (Knoxville, Tenn.) reached first on a walk but both players were left on as the inning closed.
Alabama took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third on a home run by Brittany Rogers, which also scored Mallory Benak, who reached on a hit by pitch.
Upchurch belted out her 10th home run of the season hitting the light post in right center in the top of the fifth on a full count to put the Lady Mocs on the board, making the score 2-1.
The Crimson Tide answered back in the bottom of the inning, getting a pair of runs off of Rogers’ two-RBI double to right center, scoring Katie Johnson and Benak. Two more runs were scored off of Charlotte Morgan’s single to left field before Alex Blewitt belted a home run just fair inside the left field line making the score 8-1.
Edwards hit her third double of the day, second of the game in her third at bat in the top of the sixth. Freshman pinch runner Nicole D’Apice (Knoxville, Tenn.) came for Edwards at second but was left on as the inning closed.
Whittier earned her second hit of the game with a single up the left side to lead off the top of the seventh. Upchurch walked. But both were left on as the game ended.
Freshman pitcher Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.) suffered her 10th loss of the season making her record 15-10.
Alabama’s Blair Potter is credited with the win, improving her record to 11-0.
The Lady Mocs return home to host Southern Conference opponent Appalachian State in a three-game conference series beginning on Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Frost Stadium.