UTC-Troy Box Score
UTC-South Carolina Box Score
COLUMBIA, S.C. --- The Chattanooga softball team (5-10) was unable to salvage a victory Saturday in two games at the Gamecock Invitational. The Lady Mocs fell 8-3 against Troy and 3-1 to South Carolina in game two. The loss marks the fourth straight defeat for UTC, who has dropped nine of 10.
"We knew coming into this season that we had a pretty tough schedule," head coach Frank Reed said. "We have a tough slate and we have a few players out with injuries, but we cannot make excuses. We are trying to put people in different places to see if that is the formula for success and we will keep trying. No one is going to cut us any slack, so we have to keep working to improve and try and turn this around."
Kandice Irwin (2-5) took the loss for Chattanooga in game one, while Michelle Fuzzard (1-4) was the pitcher of record against the Gamecocks.
In the nightcap, the Lady Mocs were able to take an early lead on USC thanks to a RBI infield single by Toni Hutchison. UTC left two runners on base in the inning and six overall, which would prove to be costly.
Fuzzard kept the USC batters in check through the early stages of the game, taking a perfect game into the fourth. The Gamecocks were finally able to solve the sophomore though, plating three in the inning off three hits. The big plays for South Carolina came from triples by Ashton Payne and Kristen Stubblefield.
Chattanooga would be able to get the leadoff hitter on base in both the fifth and sixth, but were left stranded as the Lady Mocs were unable to cash in with a clutch hit.
Krystle Robinson (1-0) was credited with the win for USC, while Kierstyn White recorded her first save of the 2009 campaign.
In the first game of the day for UTC, the Trojans jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the opening frame. Troy scored its first two runs on RBI groundouts before plating the third on a throwing error by Tia Blosser.
The Lady Mocs answered in the bottom half of the first with a run of its own. With two outs and no runners on, Michelle Fuzzard doubled into right field. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Fuzzard scored on an error by the Troy third baseman to cut the lead to 3-1.
Both offenses were held scoreless until the fifth when the Trojans were again able to put up three runs. The scoring began when Kaitlin Kenney made it home on a throwing error by UTC catcher Brittany Eason. Troy plated its final two runs of the inning on a RBI single by Rocky Paige and thanks to a run scoring double off the bat of Hayden Gann.
The Chattanooga bats would remain silent until the bottom of the seventh with the Lady Mocs trailing 8-1. Lauren Flores started the rally with a one-out double down the right field line to put a runner in scoring position. Kaiti Kelley would then reach base thanks to the second error of the day by Sarah Harris. After Lyndsey Stiles reached on a fielder's choice, Tia Blosser cleared the bases with a two-run double to center, her first RBIs of the season.
That would be all the Lady Mocs were able to push across however, as the Trojans recorded the final out to take the contest 8-3.
The Lady Mocs will close out the Gamecock Invitational on Sunday with a 3 p.m. contest with North Florida. Live stats will be available at GoMocs.com.
