CLEARWATER, Fla. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team matched Villanova with five hits, but was unable to capitalize with runners in scoring position as they fell, 3-1, leaving eight runners on base. Senior Tia Blosser (Knoxville, Tenn.) went 2-for-2 and was intentionally walked in the early morning game at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla.

The Lady Mocs with the loss fell to 12-7 on the season and wrapped up the USF Under Armour Invitational with a 1-4 record, while the Wildcats improved to 5-10.

Getting the start for Chattanooga was senior Brooke Loudermilk (Locust Grove, Ga.), who pitched well, but was relieved in the fifth after a run scored due to illegal pitches. Loudermilk recorded six strikeouts and only gave up one hit.

Junior Nikki Waters (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) came in relief of Loudermilk and was unable to stop the Wildcats in the fifth as they plated another run and added an insurance run in the seventh on a wild pitch. Waters kept the Villanova batters off balance with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings pitched.

The Lady Mocs got on the board with a single by Blosser with junior Lyndsey Stiles (Hixson, Ten.) in scoring position to cut the deficit to 2-1. Stiles led off the inning with a single to left center followed by junior Kaiti Kelley (Chattanooga, Tenn.) singling to left. With runners on the corners, Chattanooga was unable to capitalize leaving its seventh runner on base.

After five illegal pitches were called early in the first inning, there were none called until a 3-0 pitch in the fifth, mainly because Loudermilk kept runners off the base paths. The first base umpire awarded the Wildcats first base with no outs. Then the next three balls to the plate were tabbed illegal plating the first run of the game.

Struggles continued for the Lady Mocs as Waters relieved Loudermilk and gave up a double with runners on first and second. The centerfielder Stiles made a great throw to the plate that beat the runner, Eason applied the tag and showed the ball the umpire, but the call was that the ball was bobbled when the runner contacted the catcher, so the run scored.

Villanova tacked on another run after two singles putting two runners in scoring position. A wild pitch by Waters on a 0-2 count with two outs gave the Wildcats a 3-1 lead going into the bottom of the seventh that Chattanooga was unable to overcome.

Molly Manning the pitcher from Villanova was called for one illegal pitch in the first inning, but overcame it to pitch a five-hit complete game striking out three.

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