Blue vs. Gold Oct. 10, 2010 Chattanooga, Tenn. (Frost Stadium) Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R Blue 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 Gold 2 1 7 1 0 X 0 11

Box Score E - Sara Poteat; Layne Rainey; Kaiti Kelley; J Traxler; N Waters. LOB - Blue 4; Gold 4. 2B - Kaiti Dutton; T Baker; Jenni Martin; J Traxler. HR - K Tydingco; L Flores. SB - Sara Poteat. Pitches/strikes: N Waters 58/36; K Irwin 39/23; C Curran 27/18; N Waters 41/27; K Irwin 12/8; C Curran 37/25.

Game Notes -

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball recognized its 2010 Southern Conference Championship prior to playing its 10th annual Blue-Gold Game on Saturday morning at Frost Stadium. Freshman first baseman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.) and senior outfielder Lauren Flores (Chino Hills, Calif.) set the tone in the bottom of the first inning connecting on back-to-back home runs as Gold cruised a 11-2 victory.

“It's great to get a few homeruns and a few hits, and we were able to put those together today,” said head coach Frank Reed. “The team cohesiveness is there and that's the important thing.”

The three Lady Mocs pitchers seniors Nikki Waters (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) and Kandice Irwin (Knoxville, Tenn.) and freshman Caroline Curran (Bradenton, Fla.) threw to both teams during the exhibition game. Waters led them throwing six total innings allowing two earned runs and fanning four, while Irwin and Curran finished the contest striking out a combined three.

For the Gold, Tydingco paced the offense recording three hits driving in four runs and scoring twice. Sophomore second baseman Jenni Martin (East Ridge, Tenn.) was another key component for Gold as she notched three hits, two RBI and runs.

The Blue squad was shutdown through four innings by Waters, Irwin and Curran, but broke through with back-to-back hits from freshman left fielder Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.) and junior first baseman Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) in the fifth.

Starting and throwing the top and bottom half of the first two innings was Waters and started strong retiring four of the first five batters.

In the bottom of the inning, Tydingo pulled the first pitch thrown over the right field fence. Then, Flores curled the fourth pitch she saw  around the left field foul pole to provide Gold with a 2-0 advantage.

Gold got the offense rolling in the second with a single by Martin through the left side. After a Harrison fielder's choice, freshman Kaiti Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) singled up the middle and Harrison scored on a fielding error.

A seven-run outburst by Gold in the third inning began as Flores reached on a throwing error and Baker moved her up a base with a single up the middle. Martin drove in both runners with a double to left center and sophomore shortstop Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.) provided Gold with a 6-0 lead on a single up the middle.

“We just kept pushing runs on the board,” said Reed. “And that shows that our offense is doing what it needs to do and hopefully we can carry this into the spring.”

The first out of the inning was recorded on a fantastic diving catch by freshman right fielder Layne Rainey (Clarksville, Tenn.). A second double of the inning for Gold to left center by Dutton put two runners in scoring position. Driving in both runners was Tydingco on a single up the middle stretching the Gold lead to 8-0.

“It felt great, I knew the pitch was coming inside,” said Tydingco. “I just held back and got all of the ball. The pitchers have been throwing me a lot of changeups and it was just about time that I hit one hard.”

Following a single by Flores and an error, senior third baseman Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.) stepped up and delivered an RBI double to left to cap the scoring for Gold, 10-0.

“I just try to lead by example for the younger players on and off the field,” said Flores about the comraderie of the team during fall camp. “I have worked hard in practice on extending through the ball and that has helped me out today.”

After a quite fourth for Blue, the Gold completed its run production with another RBI single for Tydingco through the left side to drive her fourth run of the game. Martin began the frame with a single to left and Traxler doubled to right center before a ground out.

The Blue began the fifth playing small ball as sophomore Sara Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.) beat out an infield single to the pitcher. With two outs in the inning, Holloway reached on a fielding error and advanced to second on the throw home as Poteat came around to cross the plate for the Blue. Rieck then drove in the second run of the contest for Blue as she singled right back up the middle  that was followed by another single by Fuzzard.

Following the sixth inning, the game was called, so that the fans in attendance had an opportunity to get a bite to eat before heading over to Finley Stadium for the football game.

The Lady Mocs are off to Tuscaloosa, Ala., next weekend to close out their fall camp with a doubleheader against Alabama and Central Alabama beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern.