Courtesy: Jeff Hurndon

Junior Kandice Irwin recorded her third save of the season after pitching three innings and striking out three.

Miami (Ohio) at Chattanooga Feb. 28, 2010

Chattanooga, Tenn. (Frost Stadium)
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
MU (3-4)	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1
UTC (11-3)	0	0	0	2	2	2	X	6	5	2

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WP - Brooke Loudermilk (7-2) LP - Jessica Simpson (2-2)
S - Kandice Irwin (3)

Game Notes:
- Senior Brooke Loudermilk posted her seventh victory of the season. She now has 55 moving past Awbrey Winckler (2000-03) for fourth all-time.
- While Junior Kandice Irwin is now tied with Winckler with five career saves. It was  her third save of the season.
- The two doubles by junior Lauren Flores is a new career-high.

"We sat [Lauren Flores] for the game yesterday," said head coach Frank Reed. "She comes out with two hits today and used excellent base running to score that last run. I think that is because the players know that they are being challenged and they are not guaranteed to get in the lineup every day."

Chattanooga improves to 11-3 on the season, the best start for the team since 1998 when the team began the season 12-2. The best start for the squad under the guidance of Coach Reed was back in his first season, 2002, when the team started 10-3.

Taking the mound for the Lady Mocs was senior Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.), who went four innings striking out five and only giving up an unearned run. Junior Kandice Irwin (Knoxville, Tenn.) picked up the three inning save, her the third of season, that started by retiring the side with two runners on base.

"I kind of like to pitch with a little bit of pressure on myself even if there is no one on," said Irwin. "I just went out there and knew that my defense was behind me, tried to take what I do in practice into the game and let my defense make the plays."

Picking up two RBI apiece was junior Michelle Fuzzard (Huntginton Beach, Calif.) and senior Tia Blosser (Knoxville, Tenn.), who each took advantage of opportunities with runners in scoring position.

After back-to-back hits to start the second, the RedHawks took advantage of a Lady Mocs miscue to take a 1-0 lead as there was no one covering second base on a stolen base as the runner from third scored.

Leading off the fourth, senior Kaiti Kelley (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Fuzzard walked setting the stage for junior Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.), who just missed a home run to center field. Kelley and pinch runner Kristin Holloway (Chickamauga, Ga.) moved into scoring position and senior Tia Blosser (Knoxville, Tenn.) drove them in with a single to right that proved to be the game winning runs.

With Miami (Ohio) threatening after a single and walk, Irwin came in and pitched out of the jam getting the next three batters to groundout.

Flores started the fifth with a double to right centerfield and advanced to third on a groundout by pinch hitter Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.). Senior Lyndsey Stiles (Hixson, Tenn.) legged out a single to third and stole second to get into scoring position. Fuzzard went with the pitch and drilled a grounder through the hole on the right side to help the Lady Mocs add some insurance runs in taking a 4-1 lead.

During the sixth inning, Flores notched her second double of the game down the left field line and would eventually come around to score on the same as the catcher was unable to handle the incoming cutoff throw in an attempt at getting junior Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.).

For the RedHawks, Jordan McElroy went 2-for-3, while Alicia Hogl scored the only run after singling up the middle. Starting pitcher Jessica Simpson went four innings and gave up three runs, while Meredith Linch threw the remainder of the game and the two hurlers combined for four strikeouts.

The Lady Mocs are back in action on Friday at the USF UnderArmour Invitational in Tampa, Fla. Chattanooga begins the three-day tournament with a doubleheader against Massachusetts and Virginia Tech starting at 12:30p.m. The squad continues the event Saturday when they battle Bradley and Rutgers followed by a morning tilt with Villanova on Sunday.

On March 13-14, Chattanooga opens the conference slate with a three-game series against Furman. Two games are scheduled for Saturday beginning at 1 p.m., while the single game on Sunday begins at 2 p.m.