UTC-WCU Box Score
CULLOWHEE, N.C. --- It took almost three hours and more than seven innings, once again, but the Chattanooga softball team was able to pull off the sweep over Western Carolina 8-6 on Sunday. The win gives the Lady Mocs (20-16/10-2 SoCon) a four-game winning streak and tightens their grip atop the Southern Conference standings. The Catamounts fall to 9-23 on the season and have a 5-7 mark in league play.
Toni Hutchison was the hero in the game, belting a clutch grand slam in the ninth inning, while Lyndsey Stiles tied a career-high with four hits in the extra inning victory. Brittany Eason also had a big day for UTC with three hits and three runs batted in as Brooke Loudermilk recorded her fourth victory of the season.
Chattanooga picked up right where it left off on Saturday as Lyndsey Stiles led off the game with a sharp infield single. Kaiti Kelley moved Stiles to second on a sacrifice bunt before Michelle Fuzzard gave the Lady Mocs their first run of the game on a double to the wall in left-centerfield.
In the bottom of the first, Western Carolina continued to fight against UTC as the team loaded the bases without a single hit. Loudermilk struggled to find the strike zone in the frame, walking two batters and hitting one batter, but was able to escape unscathed thanks to a strikeout and two flyouts.
Loudermilk and WCU pitcher Chere Monday sat down the opposing offenses in the second and third inning as UTC entered the fourth with a 1-0 lead.
The fourth began very promising as Toni Hutchison led off the frame with a single into centerfield. Jenni Martin was next in the batter's box and followed Hutchison with a single of her own to put runners on first and second.
With two on and no one out, Brittany Eason was the next hitter and gave the Lady Mocs a 4-0 lead with a three-run shot to left-center, her fourth of the season.
Loudermilk cruised through the WCU half of the fourth, but ran into trouble in the fifth. Chelsea Schaffer led off the inning with a double into right-centerfield. That would be the last batter the junior would face as she was pulled in favor of Fuzzard.
In relief, Fuzzard retired the first two batters of the inning, but was not able to completely quiet the Catamounts as Mollie Fowler cut the Lady Mocs' lead in half with a two-run blast to rightfield.
After a scoreless sixth for both squads and a quiet seventh for UTC, Western Carolina once again staged an improbable rally. The inning began with a leadoff single from Keri Burnside, followed by another single from Schaffer. On the play, a throwing error by Kelley allowed Burnside to score to put Chattanooga's lead at 4-3.
Loudermilk was able to settle down to get the next two batters before things went awry for the Lady Mocs. With the powerful Fowler up to the plate, Loudermilk threw a wild pitch while trying to give Fowler an intentional walk, allowing Schaffer to score and tie the game. That would be all for WCU however, as the game went into extras.
In the eighth, both pitchers were able to escape without any damage despite a small rally attempt from Chattanooga.
The ninth inning featured more fireworks for both teams with UTC having the grandest of them all. The frame began with back-to-back singles from Stiles and Kelley. After a Fuzzard flyout Baker kept the rally alive with Chattanooga's third single of the inning.
Hutchison came up next and battled for seven pitches before belting the eighth pitch of the at bat over the wall in centerfield for her first career grand slam. The home run was off Katie King (3-10), who received the loss in the game.
In the bottom of the ninth, Loudermilk was finally able to put away the Catamounts despite giving up a two-run homer to WCU's Amber Hawkins. After the home run, Loudermilk allowed only one more hit en route to the team's second conference sweep of the season.
UTC will now hit the road for a midweek doubleheader against Lipscomb on Wednesday, Apr. 8. The twin bill is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET from Nashville.
Live stats will be available at GoMocs.com.
