The Lady Mocs (41-12) scored 13 runs, the most ever in a tournament game in school history, to advance to the Southern Conference
Championship game played on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The consolation bracket game between No. 2 Appalachian State and No.
4 College of Charleston has been delayed due to rain and
the winner matches up against No. 6 UNCG (26-31) tomorrow at 11 a.m.
Offensively, the Lady Mocs were led by sophomore first
baseman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.), who went 4-for-4 with two RBI, while
senior third baseman Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.) registered three hits
and drove in four runs. Senior outfielders Lyndsey Stiles (Hixson, Tenn.) and
Lauren Flores (Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga.) also totaled three hits, while juniors
designated player Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and catcher Vivian
Morimoto (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and sophomore second baseman Sara Poteat
(Thomaston, Ga.) each recorded two hits.
Combining for the three-hit complete game was Waters and
Irwin. Waters went 4.1 strong innings and fanned two batters to improve to 12-3
on the year. Earning her seventh save of the season was Irwin, who logged 2.2
innings and struck out two. She now has 20 career saves moving her into a tie
for fourth on the NCAA all-time chart with Chrissy Owens from Alabama (2005-08).
Poteat started the first off for the Lady Mocs with a
one-out bunt single up the third base line. Providing singles through the left
side and to center were Michelle Fuzzard and Baker,
respectively.
A fielder's choice to the shortstop, who went home for the
out, kept the bases loaded for the Lady Mocs. Tydingco notched an infield
single to short providing Chattanooga with a 1-0 lead as Fuzzard crossed the
plate.
Following a double play for the Spartans in the third, Baker
reached on an error that popped out of the second baseman's glove down the
right field line. Singling to right was Morimoto, and Tydingco notched her
second RBI of the game with a single to center as the Lady Mocs stretched their
lead to 2-0.
The first base runner for the Spartans led off the fourth with a walk. UNCG moved the runner into scoring position on
a sacrifice bunt, but Waters settled down to retire the side.
UNCG drew a one-out walk from Waters after Harrison saved
extra bases ranging to right center. Jordan Jewett singled up the middle to break
up the no-hit bid and chase Waters from the circle on an extremely hot and
humid day in Statesboro.
Irwin entered the game and recorded the first out on a hard
grounder grabbed by Poteat, who flipped the ball to second for the second out.
A slow roller to Tydingco at first ended the Spartan threat.
The sixth saw the Lady Mocs grab control of the contest with
a four-run inning started off by a single to left from Flores. A double to the
gap in left center that went to the fence off the bat of Stiles put two runners
in scoring position.
After a walk to Poteat loaded the bases, Flores scored on a
wild pitch before Fuzzard was robbed of extra bases as the shortstop jumped
into the air to catch a hard liner. The next pitch Baker drilled into the left
center gap to increase the lead to 5-0.
Following a single through the left side by Flores, Stiles
beat out a bunt single down the third base and Poteat drew a walk to load the
bases. Delivering a RBI single was Fuzzard, and Baker singled over the center
fielder to plate two, 9-0.
A hit by pitch loaded the bases
again as Traxler drove in two with a single through the left side. Flores ended
the scoring with a two-RBI triple to right center as the Lady Mocs took a
commanding 13-0 lead.
The Lady Mocs saw Cory Mattson,
Raeanne Hanks and Josie Felix in the circle for UNCG Jordan connected on two of
three Spartan hits during the contest.
Links for live stats, audio and video can be found on the
softball schedule page of GoMocs.com, the official website of Chattanooga
Athletics. The Voice of the Lady Mocs Tyler Brown will have the radio call on MocsVision,
while SoCon.tv will provide the video broadcast.
