Chattanooga Takes Fourth Consecutive SoCon Title; Ramirez Tabbed Most Outstanding Player
CHATTANOOGA, TN. - Chattanooga's Melissa Ramirez stroked a two-run double to left field in the bottom of the third inning en route to defeating East Tennessee State, 10-1, in a second and deciding game to win the 2003 Southern Conference tournament at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga. The two teams were forced to play a second game when East Tennessee State beat Chattanooga, 1-0 in game 14 of the tournament.
The Lady Mocs were hot at the plate, tallying 14 hits, including three for extra bases. Jada Pescatore had two for Chattanooga, and UTC's Ramirez eclipsed two SoCon Tournament records with 11 hits and 11 RBI. Danielle Spetar led the Bucs with two hits.
Chattanooga scored the bulk of their runs in the third and fourth innings, tallying eight. East Tennessee State's only run came in the top of the third inning when Lindsey Lane singled in Spetar.
Chattanooga placed three on the all-tournament team in Awbrey Winckler, Teri Herbert and the tournament most outstanding player, Ramirez.
East Tennessee State reached the tournament finals for the first time in the program's history. En route to the championship game, the fifth-seeded Bucs defeated Georgia Southern, 4-2, and top-seeded College of Charleston, 2-0. ETSU placed two on the all-tournament team in Tiffany McVay and Spetar.
The win marks the fourth consecutive tournament victory for the Mocs and their seventh tournament title overall in eight years. Chattanooga entered the tournament as the three-seed, having placed third in the regular season SoCon standings. On the road to the tournament title, UTC beat Furman (5-0), UNC Greensboro (3-1) and East Tennessee State (8-0).
Winckler (22-15) picked up the victory for the Mocs, entering the game in the third inning. She allowed only two hits and struck out two. McVay (13-10) suffered the loss for the Bucs on the mound, pitching 3 1/3 innings and allowing 10 hits and nine runs, all of which were earned.
With the tournament victory, Chattanooga earns the Southern Conference's automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA Softball Tournament. The Lady Mocs will learn of their regional assignment during the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday at 10pm on ESPN News.
2003 SOCON ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Kim Benningfield, UNC Greensboro
Brooke Flowers, College of Charleston
Teri Herbert, Chattanooga
Meagen Johnson, Furman
Tiffany McVay, East Tennessee State
Jacquie Rothey, College of Charleston
Danielle Spetar, East Tennessee State
Sam Steiner, Georgia Southern
Rachel Stern, College of Charleston
Awbrey Winckler, Chattanooga
Most Outstanding Player, Melissa Ramirez, Chattanooga
The Automated ScoreBook
East Tenn State Univ at Chattanooga
May 10, 2003 at Chattanooga, Tenn. (Frost Stadium)
East Tenn State Univ 1 (28-26)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Janine Sprague rf........ 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0
Danielle Spetar cf....... 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jessica Lonsinger dh..... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lindsay Lane 3b.......... 3 0 1 1 0 1 1 3 0
Miranda Byerly 1b........ 2 0 0 0 1 0 7 0 4
Tiffany McVay p/2b....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 3
Julia Chance 2b.......... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0
Sheryl Clark c.......... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Rhea Holler lf........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
Mary Beth Hazelwood ss... 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 1
Amy Moore c.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Jennifer Fraser p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals................... 24 1 4 1 4 2 18 10 8
Chattanooga 10 (37-28)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Teri Herbert rf.......... 4 2 2 0 0 0 1 0 0
Bryn Favor ss............ 3 2 3 1 1 0 4 4 0
Melissa Ramirez 3b....... 4 3 3 4 0 0 1 4 0
Jennifer Reed lf......... 4 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0
Jada Pescatore 1b........ 4 0 2 4 0 0 8 1 1
Paige Cochrane cf........ 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
Leslie Barron dh......... 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Gina Sterchi pr......... 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lindsey Howard c......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0
Grace Pickett 2b......... 3 2 2 0 0 0 2 2 0
Sara Meek p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Awbrey Winckler p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 32 10 14 10 1 2 21 11 5
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
East Tenn State Univ 001 000 0 - 1 4 1
Chattanooga......... 103 501 X - 10 14 0
-----------------------------------------
E - Holler(2). LOB - East Tenn St 8; Chattanooga 5. 2B - Spetar(9);
Ramirez(19); Pescatore(10). 3B - Pescatore(1). SH - Spetar(7); Lonsinger(6).
SB - Ramirez(6).
East Tenn State Univ IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Tiffany McVay....... 3.1 10 9 9 1 1 20 21
Jennifer Fraser..... 2.2 4 1 1 0 1 12 12
Chattanooga IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Sara Meek........... 3.0 2 1 1 3 0 10 15
Awbrey Winckler..... 4.0 2 0 0 1 2 14 15
Win - Winckler (22-15). Loss - McVay (13-10). Save - None.
Umpires - HP: Phil Freels 1B: Randy Hearn 3B: Rodney Graves
Start: 2:36 pm Time: Attendance:
Game notes:
Game 15 of the Southern Conference Tournament.
Melissa Ramirez sets a record 11 RBIs and 11 hits in the SoCon tournament.
Teri Herbert sets a record 7 runs in the SoCon tournament.
Game: SCT15
East Tennessee State Forces Second and Deciding Game to determine Tournament Champion
CHATTANOOGA, TN. - In dramatic fashion, East Tennessee State scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Chttanooga, 1-0, in the championship game of the 2003 Southern Conference tournament. As Chattanooga was previously undefeated in the tournament, the two teams must play a second and deciding game to determine the winner of the tournament.
The Mocs stranded eight runners, hit into two double plays and commited three errors. The determining factor was errors committed in the final half inning. With bases loaded, Chattanooga's Awbrey Winckler coaxed a ground ball out of East Tennessee State's Dani Spetar, but the throw to home for a force was dropped and the Bucs scored the game's only run.
McVay (13-9) picked up the victory for the Bucs, tossing seven innings, allowing seven hits and striking out three. Winckler (21-15) suffered the loss for the Mocs on the mound pitching six innings allowing only one run, which was unearned. She struck out three and walked four.
The final and deciding game of the tournament began at 2:15 on Saturday at Frost Stadium. The winner of the game will earn the Southern Conference's automatic bid to the 2003 NCAA Softball Tournament.
The Automated ScoreBook
Chattanooga at East Tenn State Univ
May 10, 2003 at Chattanooga, Tenn. (Frost Stadium)
Chattanooga 0 (36-28)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Teri Herbert rf.......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 2
Bryn Favor ss............ 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1
Melissa Ramirez 3b....... 2 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 0
Jennifer Reed lf......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1
Jada Pescatore 1b........ 2 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 1
Paige Cochrane cf........ 3 0 2 0 0 1 3 0 0
Leslie Barron dh......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3
Gina Sterchi pr......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lindsey Howard c......... 3 0 2 0 0 0 3 1 0
Grace Pickett 2b......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
Awbrey Winckler p........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Totals................... 26 0 7 0 3 3 18 4 8
East Tenn State Univ 1 (28-25)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Janine Sprague rf........ 2 0 0 0 2 1 3 0 0
Danielle Spetar cf....... 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2
Jessica Lonsinger dh..... 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
Lindsay Lane 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Miranda Byerly 1b........ 3 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 0
Tiffany McVay p.......... 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 4 0
Julia Chance 2b.......... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3
Rhea Holler lf........... 3 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Mary Beth Hazelwood ss... 2 0 2 0 0 0 4 1 0
Amy Moore c.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
Totals................... 24 1 3 0 4 3 21 8 10
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
Chattanooga......... 000 000 0 - 0 7 3
East Tenn State Univ 000 000 1 - 1 3 0
-----------------------------------------
Note: None out, 3 runners LOB when the game ended.
E - Favor(6); Howard(2); Winckler. DP - East Tenn St 2. LOB - Chattanooga 8;
East Tenn St 10. 2B - Ramirez(18); Reed(16); Howard(5); Pickett(2);
Hazelwood(10). SH - Hazelwood(4).
Chattanooga IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Awbrey Winckler..... 6.0 3 1 0 4 3 24 29
East Tenn State Univ IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Tiffany McVay....... 7.0 7 0 0 3 3 26 29
Win - McVay (13-9). Loss - Winckler (21-15). Save - None.
WP - McVay(13). PB - Howard(2).
Umpires -
Start: 12:15 pm Time: 1:55 Attendance:
Game notes:
Game 14 of the Southern Conference Tournament.
Winckler faced 4 batters in the 7th.
Game: SCT14
East Tennessee State Ousts Top Seed, Defeats College of Charleston, 2-0
CHATTANOOGA, TN - Freshman Janine Sprague from East Tennessee State ignited the Bucs offense as fifth-seeded ETSU eliminated top-seeded College of Charleston, 2-0, in the semifinal game of the 2003 Southern Conference softball championships being played at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga. With the win, East Tennessee State advances to face the Lady Mocs in the championship game of the tournament.
East Tennessee State dominated the Cougars in the tournament, having beaten them in a second round match up on May 9, 5-3, a game in which ETSU's Danielle Spetar hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to lead the Bucs over the Cougars. This game started with East Tennessee State striking early, scoring their first run in the bottom of the first. Janine Sprague's base hit started the inning followed by a Cougar error allowing the run to score. With the run, the Cougars replaced starting pitcher Rachel Stern with Natalie Smith. Stern was unable to hold the Bucs in check, allowing three hits.
The Bucs scored again in the bottom of the fourth, as pitcher Tiffany McVay took a Natalie Smith offering over the left field fence. College of Charleston threatened in the top of the fifth inning, but did not score while stranding two on base. Charleston had five hits in the game, but stranded seven on base. East Tennessee State was able to convert two runs on their five hits.
This marks the first time in SoCon Tournament history that the number one seed failed to reach the championship game.
With the win, ETSU's Tiffany McVay improves her season record to 13-9. Rachel Stern suffered the loss for the Cougars, ending her season 26-5.
College of Charleston ends its season at 45-11 and East Tennessee State, now 26-25, moves on to face Chattanooga in the Southern Conference tournament finals at 12:15 pm on Saturday. As Chattanooga is undefeated thus far in the tournament, the Bucs must beat the Mocs in two consecutive games to claim the championship.
The Automated ScoreBook
Coll of Charleston vs East Tenn State Univ
May 10, 2003 at Chattanooga, Tenn. (Frost Stadium)
Coll of Charleston 0 (45-11)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Keyta Lawson rf.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Bridget Loudermilk ph... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Brooke Flowers 2b........ 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 2 0
Jacquie Rothey ss........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0
Amanda Cone lf........... 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 0
Jessica Schwartzkopf 3b.. 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 1
Melissa Creeger dh....... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
Mallory Davis pr........ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lauren Rabun cf.......... 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1
Katie Scott c............ 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
Shannon McCall 1b........ 1 0 0 0 0 1 4 0 0
LeShe Russell 1b........ 2 0 1 0 0 0 5 0 0
Rachel Stern p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Natalie Smith p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals................... 24 0 5 0 2 3 18 11 7
East Tenn State Univ 2 (28-25)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Janine Sprague rf........ 3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1
Danielle Spetar cf....... 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Jessica Lonsinger dh..... 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
Lindsay Lane 3b.......... 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 5 0
Miranda Byerly 1b........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 2
Tiffany McVay p.......... 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 2
Julia Chance 2b.......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 0
Rhea Holler lf........... 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Mary Beth Hazelwood ss... 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Amy Moore c.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0
Totals................... 22 2 5 1 1 1 21 9 5
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
Coll of Charleston.. 000 000 0 - 0 5 2
East Tenn State Univ 100 100 X - 2 5 1
-----------------------------------------
E - Lawson(1); Russell(2); Chance(5). DP - East Tenn St 1. LOB - Charleston
7; East Tenn St 5. 2B - Sprague(6). HR - McVay(5). SH - Flowers(9);
Rabun(6); Spetar(4); Holler(4). SB - Spetar(19).
Coll of Charleston IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Rachel Stern........ 2.0 3 1 0 1 0 8 10
Natalie Smith....... 4.0 2 1 1 0 1 14 15
East Tenn State Univ IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Tiffany McVay....... 7.0 5 0 0 2 3 24 28
Win - McVay (13-9). Loss - Stern (25-6). Save - None.
PB - Moore(5).
Umpires - HP: David Rheinecker 1B: Bob Lett 3B: Robert Burrell
Start: 10:00 am Time: 1:44 Attendance:
Game notes:
Game 13 of the Southern Conference Tournament.
Stern faced 1 batter in the 3rd.
Game: SCT13