Courtesy: Dale Rutemeyer

Senior Tiffany Baker notched the only hit for Chattanooga.

No. 2 Chattanooga vs. No. 3 Memphis May 20, 2011

Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Rhoads Stadium)
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
MEM (36-12)	0	0	4	0	0	0	0	4	13	3
UTC (42-13)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	2

WP: Carly Hummel (21-6) LP: Nikki Waters (13-4)

Game Notes:

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Number-two seeded University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team had a tough time scoring runs against No. 3 Memphis falling 4-1. The Lady Mocs powerful offense was held in check by Carly Hummel, who one-hit Chattanooga, and the Tigers four-run third proved to be the difference.

Senior third baseman Tiffany Baker (East Ridge, Tenn.) had the lone extra-base hit, a double in the fourth. The Lady Mocs fell to 42-13 on the season, while the Tigers improved to 36-12 and won their first NCAA Tournament game.

Chattanooga play the loser of tonight's game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Jackson State on Saturdy at 4:30 p.m. The winner of that contest would play at 7 p.m. All times are Eastern.

Memphis totaled 13 hits against Chattanooga, the most by an opponent this season. Eight of those hits were bloops or high-choppers off the hard infield dirt at Rhoads Stadium.

Senior pitcher Nikki Waters (Soddy Daisy, Tenn.) pitched well for the Lady Mocs striking out five in her 2.2 innings, but gave up four earned runs on bloop base hits. Classmate Kandice Irwin (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished the contest and fanned four Tigers.

In the top of the first with one out, Lelani Brenardino hit a ball off the end of the bat into shallow left center for a heads up double just over the glove of junior shortstop Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.). Waters settled down in fanning the next two Tigers.

The second pitch to senior centerfielder Lyndsey Stiles (Hixson, Tenn.) in the bottom half plunked her and was immediately moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore second baseman Sara Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.). On ball four to Baker, Stiles stoles her 34th base of the season. Chattanooga would end the frame missing a scoring opportunity with runners on the corners.

Two Lady Mocs errors with an out in the second provided Memphis with a glorious scoring opportunity, but Waters was up to the task by striking out the side

Memphis loaded the bases on two bloop singles to right and a bunt single loaded the bases. Traxler record the first out ranging up the middle and gunning home as Morimoto made a great stretch at the plate. Kamri Chester hit a clutch two-RBI single up the middle to break the scoreless tie. Another bloop single to right center by Kailey Kassner drove in the third run of the game. A sac fly to right plated the fourth run of the inning.

Coming in relief was Irwin, who fanned the first batter she faced leaving a runner on third.

A one-out double to left center by Baker was the first hit of the contest for Chattanooga. Freshman Layne Rainey (Clarksville, Tenn.) pinch ran for her and later scored on an odd play. Morimoto popped a ball down the third base line that hit the glove of the shortstop and rolled into the Lady Mocs dugout as each runner was awarded two bases on the play, 4-1.

The Lady Mocs had another opportunity to cut into the lead in the fifth as senior left fielder Lauren Flores (Hixson, Tenn.) reached on a fielding error. She advanced to second on a sac bunt by Stiles and then took third on a ball hit to third by Poteat.

A fantastic play by Stiles in center ended the sixth as Mempis attempted to move from first to third on a single up the middle. Stiles picked the ball up and gunned it to third baseman Baker, who applied the tag.

The Tigers loaded the bases in the seventh, but Chattanooga was able to get out of the frame without any further damage. A Traxler walk was the lone base runner for the Lady Mocs in the seventh.

Hummel went the distance for Memphis and struck out five to improve to 21-6 overall.

Bernardino went a perfect 4-for-4 for Memphis during the contest, while Heather Mott, Kamri Chester and Kailey Kassner each had two hits. Chester drove in two runs and Kassner and Ashleigh King plated the other two.

GoMocs.com has complete coverage of Lady Mocs softball at the Tuscaloosa Regional with postgame interviews, stats, recaps and an audio broadcast. Links to all of live events can be found on the softball schedule page.