Chattanooga 3, Appalachian State 0
Chattanooga 13, UAB 0
AUBURN, Ala. – The Chattanooga Mocs Softball team notched a second day of success as it defeated Appalachian State, (3-0) and UAB, (13-0) in back-to-back shut out games on Saturday.
In their first matchup of the day, the Mocs conquered a competitive battle against former Southern Conference rival App State by a final of 3-0.
The first three innings went scoreless until Sam Taylor doubled in a run to give UTC a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the third.
The Mocs wouldn’t extend their lead until the sixth as Criket Blanco singled a hit down the middle, allowing Taylor to score. Bases still loaded senior Sarah Beth Roberts would dash to home from third off a wild pitch setting the score, 3-0.
Senior Taylor Deason pitched the entire game allowing only five hits, while striking out nine batters.
Chattanooga continued its domination on the field as they secured a 13-0 win over C-USA Preseason favorite, UAB, in five innings.
Freshman Cori Jennings pitched the entire match, holding the Blazers to zero hits and runs to register her first career “no hit” game.
Offensively, the Mocs took control of the field in the first inning as Chattanooga got sacrifice flies from Nicole Osterman and Kailey Palazzolo to plate the first two runs. With two runners left aboard, Anyssa Robles plated three with a home run over the left field wall to give the Mocs a 5-0 lead.
UTC extended its lead, 7-0 as a home run from Sarah Beth Roberts in the top of the second brought in two runs.
Overwhelming UAB’s defensive efforts, Chattanooga scored its final six runs to go up 13-0 in the top of the fourth, highlighted by Robles’ second home run of the game, a two-run shot.
The Mocs will return to the field to face off against host Auburn, Sunday at 4 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on the SEC Network+, which is only available on the Watch ESPN app or WatchESPN.com.
Samford 6, Syracuse
Samford 6, Loyala-Chicago 5
ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Samford University softball team provided two more performances of late inning heroics on the second day of the Total Control Sports Invitational at The Dome at the Ballpark on Saturday, Feb. 7, with wins over Syracuse University (6-5) and Loyola University - Chicago (6-5) to improve to 4-0 on the season.
Redshirt junior Mollie Hanson (2-0) pitched a combined total eight innings to pick up a complete game victory over Syracuse then secure the victory with a one inning save over Loyola in the final game of the day. Hanson now has two victories to her credit on the season with one save.
The Bulldogs jumped out early in both contests and took a 5-0 lead over the Orange then had to rally to score one more in the top of the seventh to come back and seal the 6-5 victory after the 'Cuse rallied to knot the score 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Samford had to dig down deep in game two against Loyola as they once again went ahead early 1-0 in the top of the second before falling behind 3-1 and eventually 4-1 after a solo homerun by the Ramblers in the bottom of the sixth.
There were two outs and freshman Shelby Maze at the plate whenever the Bulldogs mustered the incredible rally. Maze tattooed a ball to deep right center field for a ground rule double to get things going. Junior Caroline Wilder smoked a single back up the middle to put runners on the corners and set the table for freshman Karsin Spinks.
SU scored its' first run since the second inning on an RBI single by Spinks that scored Maze from third to make the contest at 4-2. Senior Abby Adams was a few feet away from clearing the bases and putting Samford on top but her ball carried enough for a ground rule double and close the Ramblers lead down to 4-3.
Junior Caitlin Bice put the Bulldogs back into the driver's seat with a rip-shot down the left field line that cleared the bases for a two RBI double that put SU ahead 5-4.
Hanson was brought in for relief of Grey Adams, who tossed five quality innings to pick up her second win of the season.
The Bulldogs return to action tomorrow on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 9 a.m. to take on Butler and wrap up the Total Control Sports Invitational.
Jacksonville State 10, Mercer 7
Mercer 5, Valparaiso 4
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University softball team advanced to the championship game of the Mercer Invitational Tournament, thanks in part to Riley Carter's walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Carter's heroics helped lift the Bears past Valparaiso in the nightcap, 5-4 after falling to Jacksonville State, 10-7, earlier in the day.
JSU jumped out to an early lead in the Bears' first game of the day, scoring two runs off a pair of Mercer errors in the first inning. The Gamecocks would go on to add seven more runs in the second in large part to a Sara Borders grand slam, pushing the lead to 9-0.
However, the Bears clawed their way back into the game in the bottom of the fourth, scoring five runs via home runs from Carter and Emma Andrew.
A two-run blast from Kaylynn Sloat in the fifth trimmed the deficit to two, 9-7, but JSU would push the lead to three with an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Mercer was able to load the bases in the bottom of the inning, but was unable to capitalize on the runners in scoring position en route to its first loss of the year.
Mercer got on the board early in their second game of the night, scoring on a two-run shot from Carter and a RBI single from Taylor Miller to take a 3-0 lead after two innings. Kristen Stevens threw four scoreless innings to open the game for the Bears, giving up only three hits heading into the fifth.
Valparaiso and Mercer exchanged runs in the fifth, before a seventh inning rally from the Crusaders. Valparaiso scored three runs in the frame to tie the game, prolonging the game. Lead-off batter Meghan Rud drew a walk, stole second base and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Taylor Rodgers. Valpo walked the next two batters to load the bases, setting up Carter's walk-off line drive to left center.
The action continues tomorrow in the final day of the Mercer Invitational. IPFW will take on Valparaiso in a consolation game at 12:00 p.m. followed by the championship game, which pits a rematch between Mercer and Jacksonville St. at 2:15 p.m.
UNCG 6, UMass Lowell 0
College of Charleston 7, UNCG 2
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The UNCG softball team returned to action at the Charleston Challenge Saturday and blanked UMass-Lowell 6-0 before falling to host College of Charleston 7-2 in the nightcap. The Spartans move to 2-2 and will take on Marshall Sunday morning at 9 a.m. to close the weekend.
Junior RHP Nicole Thomas held UMass-Lowell without a hit through five and a third innings and UNCG posted its first shutout of the season in the 6-0 UNCG victory. Thomas (2-1) also struck out five batters in the contest and did not allow a runner to advance past second base.
The shutout was the first for the Blue and Gold since an 8-0, five-inning win over former Southern Conference rival Elon May 4 of last season.
Junior infielder Danielle Vega was a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, notching a double and three RBI. Senior infielder Dominique Madruga and junior catcher Lindsay Thomas also had multi-hit efforts with two hits apiece. The two hitters each crossed the plate twice.
After both squads went down in order to begin the game, UNCG struck first in the bottom of the second. Vega singled to lead off the frame before Emily Lopez entered to pinch run. Lopez advanced to third on a groundout and scored when sophomore outfielder Stephanie McKinney reached on an error at shortstop. A strikeout and lineout would allow the Riverhawks to escape the inning without any further damage.
The Spartans broke the game open in the bottom of the third, scoring three runs on three hits. Madruga and Lindsay Thomas singled through the right side with one out before they each moved up a base on a perfectly executed double steal. Nicole Thomas then walked to load the bases for Vega who crushed a ball to right center, driving in two runs. Sophomore infielder Tory Wright added a sac fly to leave the score at 4-0 after three complete.
A pair of RBI singles by Vega and Nicole Thomas put the game away in the bottom of the fifth as UNCG extended its advantage to 6-0. UMass-Lowell recorded three hits in the final two innings, but Thomas worked around them to preserve the shutout.
UNCG scored first and battled host College of Charleston through five innings, but the Cougars plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth to eventually pull away. Charleston was picked to finish second in the Colonial Athletic Association this season.
Wright was the lone Spartan who recorded more than one hit as she was 2-for-4 with a double. Madruga and McKinney were responsible for UNCG’s two RBI in the game with one each. Nicole Thomas was saddled with the loss as she threw four and two-thirds innings, giving up four runs (two earned) with three strikeouts and two walks. She threw 11 and two-thirds innings in her two appearances on the day before giving way to junior RHP Danica Bishop in the fifth inning.
It was the Spartans who got on the board first in the top of the second, taking advantage of two Cougar errors. McKinney reached on a miscue at third with one out before redshirt freshman outfielder Sidney Grkman and senior outfielder Tatiana Alcala recorded consecutive singles to load the bases. After a fielder’s choice accounted for the second out, Madruga reached on the second error of the frame, allowing pinch runner Alexis Overdiep to score. Lindsay Thomas had a chance to add to the scoring, but she lined out to second to terminate the UNCG threat.
College of Charleston took advantage of a Spartan error with two outs in the bottom of the third to tie the game at one. The mistake put a runner at second and a RBI single by the next batter knotted the score. The Cougars capitalized on another error by the Blue and Gold in the bottom of the fourth as runners were at second and third with two away. Nicole Thomas induced the ground ball she needed, but Wright could not complete the catch at first and Katie Padilla raced home safely.
Unfazed, the Spartans battled back in the top of the fifth and received a back-to-back doubles by Wright and McKinney with two outs to tie the contest at two. However, the Cougars piled up five hits in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs to take the lead back at 4-2. Charleston added three runs off the UNCG bullpen in the final two frames to account for the final five-run margin.
Youngstown State 5, ETSU 1
Presbyterian 6, ETSU 5
BUIES CREEK, N.C. - Despite leading, 5-1, after three innings, ETSU was unable to fend off a Presbyterian rally Saturday afternoon, falling, 6-5, to the Blue Hose in the Bucs' second game of the Hampton Inn Invitational at Campbell University. Earlier in the day, ETSU suffered a 5-1 setback to Youngstown State.
After being held to just a single run against Youngstown State and falling behind, 1-0, to Presbyterian, the Buccaneers' (0-2) offense came alive in the third inning of their second game Saturday.
A two-RBI double by Kelsey Chernak, RBI single from Emilie Hensley, and two-run home run by Kelsey Smith led to five ETSU runs in the bottom of the third, propelling the Bucs ahead of the Blue Hose (1-1), 5-1.
However, in a similar fashion to how they captured the lead, the Bucs lost it in the fifth inning, as the Blue Hose knotted the game at 5-5 thanks to a three-run homer by Erin Ruff and, moments later, plated the eventual game-winning run when Shelby Petik scored on a fielder's choice.
After replacing starting pitcher Sydney Seigler in the midst of ETSU's five-run third inning, Presbyterian's Natasha Sherrod quelled the Bucs' bats. Sherrod tossed four-and-one-third scoreless innings, holding ETSU to just three hits, to earn the win.
For the Bucs, starter Lindsey Fadnek allowed only three hits and one earned run through the first four innings of her ETSU debut before Presbyterian's fifth-inning rally.
Freshman Madison Ogle also made her debut for the Bucs, tossing two-and-one-third scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits.
Chernak and junior Jennine Duncan each went 2-for-4 at the plate in the 6-5 setback. Duncan also stole a total of three bases Saturday.
During the Bucs' first game of the day, a 5-1 loss to Youngstown State, three ETSU players had multi-hit performances: Hensley, Latosha Rectenwald, and Samantha Carpenter, who each batted 2-for-3.
Despite outhitting Youngstown State, 9-7, ETSU had difficulty converting those hits into runs, stranding 10 runners on base in the loss.
The Bucs' lone run came on a solo homer by Hensley in the fourth inning. Hensley finished the day hitting a combined 3-for-6 at the plate with two RBI.
Starting pitcher Taylor Carter allowed just two earned runs in four innings of work, while Whitney Leon tossed two scoreless innings of relief. Three of the Penguins' (2-1) runs were unearned as results of three ETSU fielding errors.
ETSU will wrap up play in the Hampton Inn Invitational Sunday, Feb. 8 as the Bucs take on tournament host Campbell in a double-header, with games beginning at 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.