Lady Mocs Fall to Huskies in NCAA Softball Regional

ATHENS, Ga.---Once again, Chattanooga's softball team played toe-to-toe with a powerful Pac-10 Conference foe in the NCAA Regional but the Lady Mocs could not come through with the biggest hits. Top seeded and seventh-ranked Washington scored in the late innings and defeated UTC 4-1 Thursday night in the Regional hosted by the University of Georgia.

UTC (45-24) moves to the loser's bracket of the double-elimination tournament to face Big 12 foe Texas A&M, which lost 5-1 to Michigan State, at 10 a.m. Friday. A UTC victory in that game would require another contest Friday night at 8.

The Lady Mocs, who a year ago lost a 2-0 decision to powerful Stanford in the NCAAs, rapped out eight hits against Washington but stranded 11 runners, including eight over the final three innings. "We want to have people step up in those opportunities," said senior Teri Herbert. "We fought back and put pressure on them. We didn't give up."

Washington (37-17) rapped out 11 hits, and 10 of those were singles. "They're a good hitting team and hit 'em where I wasn't," said UTC shortstop Bryn Favor.

"We didn't keep them off-balanced," said UTC pitcher Lacey Swarthout. "We threw way outside and they went with it. The pitches I normally get breaks on I didn't get breaks on today, but neither team did."

The Huskies and Lady Mocs were scoreless after four innings, even though Washington had six hits. Swarthout danced around a couple of jams with big strikeouts at opportune moments and good defense.

Chattanooga had an opportunity to score in the fifth when it got runners and first and second with two outs and Herbert singled to center. Favor was waved home, but pegged at the plate on a nifty throw by Rita Roach and tag by Kristen Rivera.

Washington broke the deadlock with a couple of gift runs in the fifth, the first scoring on a would-be intentional walk. UTC was trying to put Rivera on, but the first pitch sailed to the backstop and Dominique Lastrapes scooted home. One out later, Kathy Fiske delivered a RBI single.

UTC threatened again in the sixth by stringing together a single from Melissa Ramirez (2-for-3 with a double), and walks to Leslie Barron and Grace Pickett. The next two batters failed to get the ball past the pitcher.

The Huskies added two more runs in the sixth on Sarah Hyatt's two run single, but UTC did not go quietly.

UTC loaded the bases with no outs on consecutive singles by Favor, Jeannie Cochran (2-for-4) and Herbert (2-for-4). Ramirez's ground out pushed in one run, but the next two batters did not get the ball out of the infield.

"We didn't lay down," said Swarthout. "We gave them a good game. They were worried some in the game, and you could tell."