Softball Splits in First Day of Conference Opener

3/23/2007 8:00:00 PM | By: GoMocs.com

Hardees Game Day Wrap-Up

Box Score - Game One

Box Score - Game Two

Chattanooga, Tenn. ? The Chattanooga Lady Mocs split with the Georgia Southern Eagles on Saturday to open conference play 3-2, 0-2 on Saturday.

Chattanooga (19-18, 1-1 SoCon) had a combined 13 hits on the day but left 17 runners on base and committed four errors on the day.

In her first appearance of the season, senior pitcher Brittney Whittier (Scottsdale, Ariz.) had five strikeouts and only gave up one walk, but was given the loss making her record 0-1 on the season.

In game two, the Lady Mocs got off to a solid start with senior left fielder Jeannie Cochran (Maryville, Tenn.) getting a single followed by another hit by sophomore center fielder Ashley Cuticchia (Rising Fawn, Ga.). Freshman designated player Brittany Eason's (Chattanooga, Tenn.) single to the right side advanced Cuticchia and Cochran, but Cochran was thrown out at home for the second out of the inning. Whittier fouled out to the catcher to end the inning still tied at 0-0.

Whittier gave up two hits in the top of the second, but picked also picked up her third strikeout of the day with runners on second and third shutting the Eagles out.

Sophomore third baseman Toni Hutchison (Madison, Tenn.) started off the bottom of the second with a single to the left side. But the Lady Mocs were held scoreless going into the third.

Georgia Southern picked up a run in the top of the third by Nina Iduate who reached on a single before stealing second and third and finally scored on a wild pitch to make the score 1-0. Robyne Siliga scored two pitches later on a solo home run over the left field fence making it 2-0.

Chattanooga held the score at 2-0, allowing only two more hits going into the bottom of the fifth. Hutchison picked up her second hit of the game on a single to left field to lead off the inning for the Lady Mocs. Sophomore right fielder Laci Upchurch (Madison, Tenn.) walked with two outs to advance Hutchison to second. Both runners advanced to on a wild pitch but were left on second and third after a fly out with the score still 2-0.

Both teams were held scoreless through the sixth inning going into the top of the seventh with the Lady Mocs picking up three quick outs to retire the top of the inning.

But the team was unable to convert in the bottom of the seventh, giving up three straight outs to close out the game.

Hutchison led the team with two hits, while Cochran, Cuticchia and Eason added the other three. And Georgia Southern was led by Maria Laurato and Katie Smith with two hits each.

The Lady Mocs took a thrilling 3-2 extra innings victory in game one to win the first conference game of the season.

Senior pitcher Ashley Frizzell (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) had 10 strikeouts, only one walk and no earned runs in the nine-inning win, improving her record to 7-7.

Cochran went three-for-four with one run to lead Chattanooga, while junior shortstop Tara Tembey (Folsom, Calif.) and Whittier were walked twice.

Whittier's two-out double scored two runs early to put the Lady Mocs up 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Tembey reached on a walk before a single by Eason sent her to third.

Cuticchia picked up a hit in the bottom of the third to get on base with one out. Tembey advanced the runner on her single to right field. Whittier walked to load the bases, but all three runners were left on base as the inning retired after a hard line drive was caught by the second baseman

Upchurch made a diving catch in foul territory to kick off the fourth inning before Frizzell struck out the next two batters to hold the score at 2-0 going into the bottom of the inning.

Cooper picked up a hit in the bottom of the sixth down the right field line, the seventh hit for Chattanooga, before Norris walked to put runners on first and second. Upchurch walked to load the bases for the second time in the game, but once again all three runners were stranded.

The Eagles put out a strong effort in the top of the seventh loading the bases for the second time in the game with only one out. Iduate reached on a fielder's choice on a ground ball to second base, throwing pinch runner Ashley Bluestein out at home to get the second out.

But Heather Smith drove Branan and Hopkins home on her single to right field tying the score at 2-2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning.

The Lady Mocs were unable to score in the bottom of the seventh but held Georgia Southern in the top of the eighth.

Cooper reached first with one out on a walk in the bottom of the eighth before being thrown out at second from sophomore first baseman Rachel Norris' (Ringgold, Ga.) ground ball to the pitcher. Norris picked up the third out at second on Upchurch's ground hit to the shortstop.

Georgia Southern picked up two hits in the top of the ninth but was still held at two as the inning closed.

Cochran led off the inning with a hit and advanced to second after Tembey walked. Whittier walked to load the bases with Hutchison coming up to the plate. Hutchison took a 3-2 count before getting the game-winning walk.

Georgia Southern was led by Branan with two hits and one run. Pitcher Logan Free was charged with the loss.

Chattanooga is without freshman pitcher Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.) and senior first baseman Alyssa Edwards (Geneva, N.Y.) for the series due to injuries.

The Lady Mocs wrap up the series against Georgia Southern on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at Frost Stadium.

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