CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team opened up the home schedule in dramatic fashion when junior Della Harrison (Nashville, Tenn.) notched a game-winning two-out RBI double down the left field line to help head coach Frank Reed record his 800th career victory in eight innings, 7-6 against Rutgers. The momentum continued into the second game of the day as the Lady Mocs scored three in the first en route to a 6-0 victory over Kansas at the first day of the Frost Classic Inspired by Memorial.

"I was thinking about what I have to prepare for," said Harrison. "Our hitting coach [Jeff] Martin tells me, 'we need to bring practice into the game Della.' Coming off the bench, I just had to refocus and go out there and do what I needed to do as a pinch hitter."

Now in his ninth season with Chattanooga, Reed has 324 victories with the Lady Mocs and 476 in eleven seasons at Chattanooga State to surpass the 800 win mark against the Scarlet Knights.

"I could not have gotten an 800th victory in a crazier way," said coach Reed after the game. "I have to thank that team for that and the past 19 years with all the kids that have helped to add one-to-one-to-one."

It was the second time that the Lady Mocs were down in the game against Kansas as another senior Kaiti Kelley (Chattanooga, Tenn.) sent the game into extra innings with a liner over the first baseman's glove scoring two to tie the contest at three with two outs.

Senior pitched Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.) picked up the victory in both contests as she fanned a total of eight batters in eight innings pitched.

Against the JayHawks, junior Tia Blosser (Knoxville, Tenn.) put the Lady Mocs ahead for good with a three-run home run into deep left center, 6-0. Chattanooga scored three times in the first.

Chattanooga continues its play in the Frost Classic Inspired by Memorial on Saturday at 3 p.m., when they face Kentucky and Georgetown in a doubleheader. They end the three-day event at 12:30 Sunday against Miami (Ohio). The fifteen-teams at the tournament begin play at 10 a.m. Saturday with four timeslots spaced two-and-half hours apart.

Game One: Chattanooga 6, Rutgers 5 (8 inn.)

Seniors Harrison and Kelley recorded clutch base hits late in the game as the Lady Mocs defeated Rutgers 6-5 in eight innings to help head coach Frank Reed get his 800th career victory. Harrison had a double that scored the winning run, while Kelley sent the contest into extras with a two-out single.

It was the fifth win of the season for Loudermilk, who came on as the third pitcher out of the deep Chattanooga bullpen. She allowed two runs to score, but only one was earned due to the nature of the extra-inning tiebreaker rules placing a runner on second to start the inning.

Junior Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) received the start in the game pitching three innings and only giving up one hit, a home run to Mikelyn Messina of Rutgers, while striking out three. Next in the circle was junior Nikki Waters (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) followed by Kandice Irwin (Knoxville, Tenn.) in an attempt at giving each pitcher an opportunity in the game.

The Lady Mocs offense was held in check for six innings by Noelle Sisco, but the offense came alive starting with the bottom of the order with six hits over the final two frames to score five runs.

After scoring a run to start the game, the Chattanooga offense scattered four hits. Junior Lyndsey Stiles (Hixson, Tenn.) was the first runner across the plate after drawing a walk and scoring on a Rutgers defensive miscue in right field.

Once again, Messina hurt the Lady Mocs with a two-out single that pushed the Scarlet Knights ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning. Lindley scored after drawing a walk to begin the inning. Rutgers would add another run in the sixth to make the deficit two.

With their backs against the wall in the seventh, the Lady Mocs rallied with sophomore Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.) and freshman Sarah Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.) singling to lead off the inning. The runners would advance to scoring position after a sacrifice bunt by freshman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.).

The stage was set for an unlikely hero as Kelly fouled off four pitches before hitting the ball into shallow right field down the line scoring the speedy Traxler and Tydingco to knot the score at three. Rutgers was able to limit the damage and send the game to extra innings after Fuzzard recorded a single to put Kelley in scoring position.

"I had really been hard on Kaiti for not getting bunts down earlier in the game," said Reed. "I could not ask for hit in a more timely fashion."

The Lady Mocs brought in Loudermilk after they pinch hit for pitcher Irwin, but Rutgers drew a walk to start the eighth and a sacrifice bunt put two runners in scoring position with one out. Loudermilk struck out the next batter, but Ashley Bragg delivered a two-out double to put the Scarlet Knights up 5-3.

Facing another difficult situation down two, junior Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.) was placed on second to start the inning and eventually scored on a single up the middle by Blosser cutting into the Rutgers' lead. After a walk and a fielder choice and Loudermilk, the pitcher scheduled to hit.

The seasoned coach Reed made a difficult decision and brought in pinch hitter Harrison, who has one hit this season and two in her career, and the Nashville, Tenn., native came through with a double down the left field line scoring Blosser and Poteat.

"Della Harrison has been here three years and has caught in the bullpen as a catcher, had an opportunity to run a few times and one other college hit in her life," said Reed. "To come up to the plate with that poise and find a way to get a decent hit and score two key runs. She needs to be commended. A lot of times you forget about the people who are an integral part of the team."

Bragg went 2-for-2 for the Scarlet Knights along with two walks and two RBI, while Messina had an RBI in two different at bats. Pitchers Sisco and Abbey Houston combined for three strikeouts, but seemed to keep the Lady Moc hitters off balance for most of the game.

Game Two: Chattanooga 6, Kansas 0

After recording the most dramatic win of the season, the UTC softball team continued the momentum into the second game as they scored three first inning runs and Blosser hit a three-run home run in the third to beat Kansas, 6-0.

This afternoon, Loudermilk might not have had her best performance of the season, but she still fanned six batters and did not give up an earned run as Chattanooga improved to 9-2 on the season and the JayHawks dropped to 5-7.

In the first inning, Stiles hit a single through the left side and Kelley followed with a bunt single. The frame opened up when Fuzzard hit a screamer right at the third baseman that hit the glove and bounced in to left center scoring a run.

Sophomore Jenny Martin (East Ridge, Tenn.) came up with a perfectly executed bunt single, where all three Rutgers players on the right side of the infield went for the ball leaving first base unoccupied scoring Kelley and Blosser drove in Fuzzard to end the scoring for Chattanooga.

After Fuzzard and Baker hit singles to left, Blosser notched her third home run of the season when she nailed a pitch over the fence in left center field scoring three.

Defensively, Fuzzard just missed a double play in the fourth inning when she snagged a hard line drive and pitched the ball to Blosser at first, but the runner just barely reached the base first. Loudermilk was able to retire the side in that inning after Kansas threatened with runners at the corners with no outs.

Finishing strong, Loudermilk retired the last six batters from Kansas in order.

Leading the JayHawks was Alex Jones, who recorded two of the team's five hits. Jones and Sarah Vertelka combined to strikeout out three, while only allowing one walk.

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