Chattanooga vs. Furman Box Score - Game 3
GREENVILLE, S.C. ? Senior shortstop Tara Tembey (Folsom, Calif.) singled home two runs and freshman catcher Katie Blevins (Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.) went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI double as Chattanooga (34-15, 12-1) completed a sweep of Furman (19-25, 7-8) 5-2 Sunday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina.
A leadoff walk in the second inning by junior third baseman Toni Hutchison (Madison, Tenn.) and a gap double by Blevins put runners on second and third before junior outfielder Laci Upchurch (Madison, Tenn.) laid down a squeeze bunt to give Chattanooga a 1-0 lead. Following a fielders choice and a walk, Tembey then laced a two-RBI single to make it 3-0.
A solo shot to left field by sophomore pitcher Lana Mackey got the Paladins on the board in the bottom of the inning and narrowed the gap to 3-1. A leadoff single in the third by freshman pitcher Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.), followed by a successful sacrifice bunt, set the stage for Blevins who boomed her second double of the day to push the lead to 4-1. A single through the left side by senior outfielder Ashlan Clarkson (Chickamauga, Ga.) then extended the Lady Mocs advantage to a commanding 5-1 lead.
Three singles in the fifth inning by Furman cut the lead to 5-2 before sophomore pitcher Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.) entered in relief of Fuzzard and allowed only one hit the rest of the way to notch her fifth save of the year and lock up Chattanooga's 18th victory in its last 19 games. Fuzzard picked up the win to move to 5-2 on the season while Mackey dropped to 14-19.
Blevins led the way offensively, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, a run and an RBI while Tembey, Upchurch and Clarkson each added RBIs.
The Lady Mocs close out the home portion of their schedule next weekend, April 26-27, when they host the College of Charleston in a Southern Conference series at Jim Frost Stadium.
NOTES
Over 9.1 innings this weekend, Brooke Loudermilk allowed only two hits, both by junior shortstop Stephanie Cushing, and no runs while coming within one strike of a perfect game in Saturday's opener ... she has lowered her ERA to an astounding 1.90 and opposing batters are limited to a .187 average ... with her fifth save of the season, Loudermilk is now tied for third all-time on the Lady Mocs career list with seven.
