UTC Softball Defeats Arkansas, Missouri Print GAINESVILLE, Fla. ? Chattanooga's softball team opened the 2004 season with a pair of impressive victories over Arkansas and Missouri Friday afternoon at the Gator Invitational. UTC turned back Arkansas 1-0 in nine innings and edged Missouri 5-4.Chattanooga freshman Brittney Whittier pushed in the winning run with a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Lady Mocs victory over the Lady Razorback in the season opener.Utilizing the international tiebreaker in the ninth, Jeannie Cochran was placed at second to start the inning and she was moved to third on Bryn Favor?s sacrifice bunt. After an intentional walk to Melissa Ramirez and another walk to Leslie Barron, Whittier coaxed a third straight walk for the winning run.Junior college transfer Lacey Swarthout, who hails from nearby Orlando, Fla., went the distance by yielding seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. UTC?s defense helped Arkansas strand 10 runners. Ramirez had UTC?s only hit with a first-inning single.Chattanooga bunched together four hits and a sacrifice fly in the third inning against the Tigers and withstood Mizzou's late charge.Barron delivered a two-run double and Ramirez and Amanda Hoiness stroked RBI singles to highlight the five-run third. Favor drove home a run on a sacrifice fly.Sophomore pitcher Abby Cotrell picked up the win by going five innings with five hits, three walks and a strikeout. Swarthout picked up the save on two perfect shutout innings with a strikeout.The tournament continues Saturday and Sunday at the University of Florida and Sante Fe Community College.Arkansas 000 000 000 ? 0 7 1Chattanooga 000 000 001 ? 1 1 1Schlichtman and Easley; Swarthout and Johnson.Chattanooga 005 000 0 ? 5 4 3Missouri 020 011 0 ? 4 5 3Cotrell,Swarthout (6) and Johnson; Kalka, Peterson (4) and Kent, White (4)Schlichtman and Easley; Swarthout and Johnson.