Chattanooga 6, Tennessee Tech 4
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Mocs softball team (24-8, 6-0 SoCon) secured its seventh-straight game after defeating Tennessee, 6-4 Tuesday afternoon at Frost Stadium.
The Mocs’ offense was led by Criket Blanco’s multi-hit effort as she posted a team-high two hits, including a three-run home run, three RBI and one run scored. The Maryville, Tenn., continued to be a constant offensive threat in the Mocs’ victory, reaching base in both of her plate appearances.
Pitchers Cori Jennings and Taylor Deason teamed up for seven innings, combing for six strikeouts and only two walks. Starting the game, Jennings improved to 11-4, while Deason earned a save.
Things didn’t start so well for the Mocs as the Golden Eagles drew first blood. Tennessee Tech scored an over-the-wall homerun off the first pitch from Jennings. Not shaken, the Mocs responded with solid defense, putting out the next three at bats.
Both teams went scoreless for the next two innings, each recording at least one hit and unable to round third, but Chattanooga took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Blanco hit a long ball over the center field wall to drive in Nicole Osterman and Jesslyn Stockard, who had both reached on walks.
Holding a 3-1 lead, Osterman propelled the Mocs to a 5-1 advantage as she blasted a two-run homerun over the right center wall. The senior’s 11th long ball of season brought in Sarah Beth Roberts, who reached first on a fielder’s choice.
Chattanooga tacked on one last insurance run extending its lead to 6-1. Marina Wilkerson hammered out her second triple of the season putting her in position to score. Sam Taylor answered the call as she drove in Wilkerson with a single to center field.
However, two UTC fielding errors allowed the Golden Eagles to battle back with three runs in the top of the seventh. Relentless, Chattanooga’s defense outpaced TTU’s offense, securing three outs before Tennessee Tech had an opportunity to tie the game.
With a weekend off from conference play, the Mocs look to extend their seven game-winning streak against Lipscomb on Wednesday, April 8 in Nashville, Tenn. at 6 p.m.
Samford 6, Alabama State 1
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - The Samford University softball team downed Alabama State University 6-1 in an early midweek contest on Tuesday, March 31, at the Barbara Williams Softball Complex.
The Bulldogs (24-13) remained perfect against the Hornets (10-23) to improve its' all-time record to 18-0 and pick up its second victory of the season over ASU.
It was a homecoming of sorts for junior Caroline Wilder and she certainly embraced the moment. The Montgomery native and former Trinity Presbyterian standout went a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate with an RBI, a pair of runs scored, a walk and a stolen base on the night.
Wilder's first at-bat of the game resulted in a towering homerun that went over the scoreboard in left field to give Samford a 1-0 lead over Alabama State.
Sophomore pitcher Rebecca Leonard (2-2) received the start in the circle for Samford and effectively in the contest. The Chatsworth, Georgia native pitched five-complete innings and only allowed one run on one hit in the contest while striking out five ASU batters.
Alabama State scored its' lone run of the contest and tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second. The Hornets reached base early in the inning on a pair of walks from Leonard then scored on a fielder's choice to the Bulldogs infield.
From the fourth inning on the Bulldogs tallied 11 of its 12 hits in the game and went on to score five more runs.
Before the offense picked up in the fourth it cooled off in the second and third innings. The Bulldogs plated the go ahead run in the fourth on an RBI double from sophomore Abbie Miranda. Miranda went with a pitch on the outside corner of the plate and sent it deep down the right field line to score Wilder from second. Wilder reached earlier in the inning on a lead-off single up the middle.
Samford secured the momentum of the game in the fifth when the team plated three runs to take a 5-1 lead over Alabama State. Freshman Lexie Higgins started the inning with a double the left field line and moved over to third on an infield single from senior Caroline Seay.
Higgins later scored when Alabama State attempted to throw out Seay trying to steal second but the ball sailed into center field that allowed Higgins to score. Junior Megan Dowdy would later drive in Seay on an RBI single and eventually score herself after stealing second base and home for the Bulldogs third run of the inning.
The Bulldogs plated its final run of the contest in the sixth inning when Seay drove in Miranda from third on another infield single to first. Seay ended the game 2 for 3 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored while Miranda tallied went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored.
The Bulldogs return to Southern Conference action this weekend at home against SoCon newcomer ETSU at the Samford Softball Field on Friday, April 3; game one is slated to start at 3 p.m. with game two scheduled for 5 p.m.
UNCG 10, North Carolina A&T 0
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The UNCG softball hit three home runs and used a six-run fourth inning to run-rule North Carolina A&T, 10-0, in five innings Tuesday at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
The Spartans improve to 14-15 with the win and North Carolina A&T falls to 10-17 in the loss.
Junior Nicole Thomas finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two home runs and six RBI. Classmate Allison Geiner went 2-for-3 at the leadoff spot.
Freshman pitcher Alicia Bazonski earned the win improving to 7-6 on the season. Bazonski threw five innings and allowed no earned runs with four strikeouts. Janika May fell to 5-9 on the season after allowing 10 earned runs off 10 hits with seven walks.
UNCG jumped ahead in the third inning with four runs off five hits. Freshman Rebecca Kale singled to left field but was thrown out trying to reach second base. Geiner followed with a single down the right field line and senior Dominique Madruga lined a RBI double scoring Geiner from first. N. Thomas blasted her fourth home run of the season giving UNCG a 3-0 lead. Sophomore Tory Wright hit a solo home run to make it 4-0 Spartans off back-to-back homers.
In the fourth inning, the Spartans scored six-runs off four hits, including a grand slam from Nicole Thomas. Freshman Gabrielle Cubbage doubled to start the inning. Kale worked a walk and Geiner reached off a bunt single. After a out, N. Thomas launched a first-pitch grand slam to left field to push UNCG’s lead to 8-0. Three straight walks loaded the bases again and sophomore Hagan Kiser lined a RBI single to left field. The final run of the inning came home off a wild pitch.
Bazonski ended the game by keeping the Lady Aggies off the scoreboard in the fifth inning to seal the run-rule victory for UNCG.
The Blue and Gold remain home for a three-game series starting with a doubleheader Friday, April 3 at 1 p.m. at the UNCG Softball Stadium.
Virginia 2, Western Carolina 1
Virginia 10, Western Carolina 1
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Western Carolina softball (14-22) was swept by the University (9-29) of Virginia 2-1, 10-1 Tuesday at the Park.
Virginia jumped on top of Western Carolina 1-0 with one swing of the bat. With one out, Iyana Hughes hit a solo homerun over the right center field wall.
The Cavaliers added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth in what would turn out to be the insurance run. With one out, starting Catamount pitcher Jordan Garrett gave up a one out walk that came back to haunt her later in the inning. After striking out Lauren Heintzleman for the second out Aimee Chapdelaine hit an RBI single to shallow left field for the second run of the game.
The Catamounts attempted a rally in the top of the seventh. Senior catcher Heather Chastain led off the inning with a solo homerun over the left field wall. With one out, Karley Harkey walked putting the tying run on first base. Amber Kimrey hit a sacrifice bunt pushing Harkey to second but Emily Helton ground out to end the rally and the game.
Western Carolina had a golden scoring opportunity to start the game when designated player Abigail Daniels led off with a single to center field and with one out Victoria Mariscal reached on a Virginia error. With runners on second and third and one out Western Carolina’s next two batters struck out and lined out to end the inning. It was the only time WCU had a runner on third the whole game.
The Catamounts had just three hits in the game.
Garrett pitched a solid game but Virginia took advantage of timely hits. In the complete game, Garrett gave up two runs on six hits and struck out six. She falls to 8-10 on the year.
Virginia scored nine runs in the first inning and one in the ensuing four innings to shorten game two to just five innings.
For the second straight game, Daniels led off with a single. After a sacrifice bunt by Mariscal moved Daniels to second Courtney Price singled up the middle to put runners on first and third. Taylor Sigmon hit an RBI single to right field to score Daniels to give WCU a 1-0 lead.
The Catamount lead was short-lived. Starting Catamount pitcher Mallory Broome saw three Virginia batters before she was replaced by Courtney Buchanan. Broome gave up a walk and two singles and allowed three runs.
Buchanan pitched two seven batters in the first inning giving up four runs on three hits in a half inning of work.
Sigmon came into pitch with one out and finally got the last two outs but not before giving up tow more runs.
Virginia scored nine runs in the first inning to put Western Carolina in a hole it could never recover from. In the first inning alone Catamount defense had three errors to assist in the nine Virginia runs.
Virginia added its 10th run of the game off a solo homerun in the second inning.
Broome takes the loss and falls to 1-2 on the season.
Sigmon tossed 3.2 innings giving up three runs on eight hits and struck out five.
Western Carolina continues its road swing this Friday and Saturday with a Southern Conference three-game series at UNCG. The double header Friday begins at 1 p.m. and the single game at 1 p.m. Saturday.