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Chattanooga Unable to Capitalize on Opportunities in Doubleheader Loss to Charleston

Chattanooga Unable to Capitalize on Opportunities in Doubleheader Loss to Charleston

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Courtesy: GoMocs.com
Junior Jessica Traxler led the Lady Mocs in the doubleheader with three hits.

Chattanooga at College of Charleston
April 16, 2011

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. (Patriots Point)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
R H E
UTC (29-10, 11-1 SoCon)
0
0
0
0 0
0
0
0
5
0
CofC (26-16, 6-9 SoCon)
2
1
0
0
0
0
X
3
6
0
WP: Alexa Datko (14-5) LP: Michelle Fuzzard (15-6)
 
Chattanooga at College of Charleston
April 16, 2011

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. (Patriots Point)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
UTC (29-11, 11-2 SoCon)
0 0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1

CofC (28-16, 8-9 SoCon)

2
0
0
2
0
0
X
5
7
1

WP: Stephanie Saylors (9-8) LP: Nikki Waters (7-3)

 

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team had 19 runners reach base in the doubleheader against College of Charleston, but were only able to score one run as the Cougars took 3-0 and 5-1 contests completing the doubleheader sweep on Saturday at Patriots Point.

The Cougars ended the Lady Mocs 11-game SoCon winning streak to improve to 28-16 on the year and 8-9 in the conference, while Chattanooga fell to 29-11 and 11-2 in conference action.

The offense was led by junior shortstop Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.) with three hits, while sophomore second base Sara Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.) add two. Notching doubles during the doubleheader were senior left fielder Lauren Flores (Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga.), junior catcher Vivian Morimoto (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and sophomore first baseman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.)

Receiving the start in game one was Fuzzard, who threw a complete game and struck out five, while seniors Nikki Waters (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) and Kandice Irwin (Knoxville, Tenn.) combined for six strike outs.

The Lady Mocs look to avoid the sweep on Sunday as they complete the series against College of Charleston at 1 p.m. Live stats and an audio broadcast are available on GoMocs.com.

Game One: College of Charleston 3, Chattanooga 0

Five Lady Mocs notched base hits in the first game, but they were scattered over the seven innings and Charleston took advantage of its opportunities in a 3-0 victory.

Fuzzard threw a complete game giving up six hits on the day, three earned runs and five strikeouts.

The Cougars rode pitcher Alexa Datko, who was impressive in striking out seven and gave up five hits.

Following a hit by pitch to Poteat, the Lady Mocs were unable to take a lead in the first.

The Cougars started off swinging a hot bat as Carly Cothrell singled up the middle and with two outs Kelsey Hodgson connected on a two-run liner over the fence in straight-away center.

Starting off the second was Morimoto with a double off the top of the fence in center.

A Nutaitis single that dropped just in front of the left fielder down the line. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Stringer. Corthell extended the lead to three on a single to right.

Flores doubled down the left field line as Carly Crothell attempted a diving catch. The next hitter senior centerfielder Lyndsey Stiles (Hixson, Tenn.) hit a shot to center, but Kristi Woodall made a great catch and was able to double off Flores at second. A single up the middle by Poteat kept the Lady Mocs alive with two outs, but they were able to cut into the Cougars, 3-1 advantage.

To begin the fourth, senior third baseman Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.) was robbed of a base hit by Hodgson, who dove to get a grounder down the line and fired over to first.

A leadoff walk was drawn by senior right fielder Della Harrison (Nashville, Tenn.). Following a fielder's choice off the bat of Traxler, Stiles beat out an infield single to first with two out. The Lady Mocs threat was eliminated as Poteat put a charge into a ball, but was caught by the left fielder.

After a rough first two innings for Fuzzard, she settled down and picked up four strikeouts over the next four innings to keep the Lady Mocs in the game.

With two outs in the seventh, Traxler gave the Lady Mocs some life with a single to center, but the game would end on a foul out.

Chattanooga returns to Frost Stadium to complete its home slate on April 30 with a single game against Georgia Southern beginning at 5 p.m. Senior Day is set for May 1 and the Lady Mocs will play a doubleheader with first pitch slated for Noon.

Game Two: College of Charleston 5, Chattanooga 1

Chattanooga stranded 12 runners on base and was unable to capitalize on its opportunities with runners on base as Charleston won 5-1 to sweep the doubleheader. Traxler led the Lady Mocs with two hits in the second game.

Waters notched three strikeouts in four innings, while Irwin  fanned three to finish the contest.

In the first, a leadoff walk started things for Chattanooga and Sitles advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Poteat.

Once again, Hodgson stepped up the plate with a runner on base and two outs in the first for Charleston and connected on a home run to put her team on top, 2-0. This time it was to left center and was the seventh of the season.

The Lady Mocs put their first run on the scoreboard in the fourth as Traxler led off with a single up the middle and Flores reached on an error by the second baseman. Following a fielder's choice to short, who decided to go home and get the runner at the plate, by Stiles, Poteat delivered the RBI single to right. Chattanooga would go on to strand two runners and bring its total to eight on the game.

In the fifth, Charleston added to its lead with 2 runs on three hits and an error to take a 5-1 lead. Vaughn and Stringer drove in the runs for the Cougars.

Leading off the sixth, Traxler singled through the left side and Flores drew a walk to put two runners on. A groundout to shortstop moved the runners up to second and third, but Chattanooga could not take advantage of the situation with two outs.

The final hit of the contest for the Lady Mocs was off the bat of Fuzzard, who beat out an infield single to short.

Pitching the complete game for Charleston was Stephanie Saylors, who yielded six hits, but walked five and struck out four.

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