ATLANTA, Ga. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team opened the Georgia State Panther Invitational with a 13-7 victory after six innings over IUPUI (3-2) before falling to Georgia State (5-2), 5-1, on Saturday. Senior Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.) blasted two two-run home runs against the Jaguars, setting a new career high, while Chattanooga (4-3) recorded 13 hits.

The Lady Mocs used the long ball, offensively in game one, as freshman outfielder Nicole Osterman (Kissimmee, Fla.) and senior catcher Vivian Morimoto (Sao Paulo, Brazil) each notched their first home runs of the season along with Traxler.

Freshman pitcher Taylor Deason (Clarksville, Tenn.) earned her third win of the year, tossing 2.1 innings of relief and fanning three against IUPUI. The starter for Chattanooga was senior Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.), who went 3.1 innings, allowing one earned and three unearned runs while striking out one.

In game two, Deason took her first loss of the season for the Lady Mocs, logging five innings with three strikeouts, but gave up four earned runs. Fuzzard completed the game, tossing two scoreless innings and yielding just one hit.

Five Lady Mocs scattered hits against the Panthers in the second game, including a RBI single by Fuzzard, who moved past former Lady Moc Tiffany Baker on the UTC all-time RBI charts with her 164th, and a double by sophomore center fielder Kaiti Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.).

Chattanooga's defense committed four errors in the first game, but bounced back without an error against Georgia State, the first time this season.

Chattanooga will play at 12:15 p.m. Sunday after Georgia State and Eastern Illinois play a make-up game originally scheduled for Saturday. Links to live stats and free audio can be found on the softball schedule page.

Game One: Chattanooga 13, IUPUI 5 (5 inn.)

After IUPUI scored the first run of the game in the first inning, a leadoff walk in the bottom-half was issued to sophomore second baseman Sara Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.) on an illegal pitch and took second on a wild pitch. Fuzzard moved her to third on a flyout to center. The bases were cleared as Morimoto drilled a pitch over the center field fence for a two-run shot, her first of the season and seventh career.

Chattanooga extended its lead to 3-1 as junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.) walked and came around to score on a throwing error by the shortstop off the bat of Traxler.

In the third, the Jaguars took advantage of three errors by the Lady Mocs and two hits to score twice and tie the contest at three.

Ensuring that the game would not stay tied for long was Traxler, who connected on a two-run shot putting the Lady Mocs up 5-3. It was the 10th career home run for the Chino Hills, Calif., native and first this season.

IUPUI would not go away in the fourth as it loaded the bases and plated a run on two singles and two walks. Deason came in with the bases loaded and was able to get two outs to retire the side, only allowing one run to score.

The Lady Mocs started a two-out rally as Poteat and sophomore center fielder Kaiti Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) each singled up the middle. Fuzzard drove in Poteat with a single through the left side. Coming home on a failed pickoff by the catcher, who was charged with a throwing error, was Dutton as the Lady Mocs increased the lead to 7-4.

Driving home Fuzzard was Morimoto with a RBI double to center pushing the advantage to 8-4.

With Deason retiring the Jaguars in order, Osterman connected on her first home run as a Lady Mocs with a no-doubt off the bat shot to center. Sophomore left fielder Layne Rainey (Clarksville, Tenn.) and Poteat singled before IUPUI retired the side.

Leading off the second for IUPUI was Rupert with a single through the left side. A walk and fielder's choice put runners on the corners as Prewitt flied out the center for a sacrifice fly, cutting the Lady Mocs lead to 9-5.

Fuzzard started the sixth with a double up the middle that reached the fence in center. She took third as Morimoto singled up the middle. Tydingco doubled to the left center gap scoring two and pushing the advantage to 11-5.

Ending the game was Traxler with an opposite field shot down the right field line that just cleared the fence. It was her first-career two-home run game.

IUPUI was led by Kelsey Rupert, who registered two hits and scored twice. Leah Prewitt drove in two, while Jocelyn Oppenhuis took the loss going 3.1 innings and striking out three.

Game Two: Georgia State 5, Chattanooga 1

In the first inning, Deason quickly retired the first two hitters on a lined shot caught by Tydingco at first and a ground out. Two walks and a single up the middle loaded the bases, but Deason notched a strikeout to retire the side.

The Lady Mocs appeared to be poised to strike as Poteat singled through the right side to start it off, but the inning ended on a double play off the bat of Fuzzard.

Georgia State drew a walk to start off the frame. A single by Chelsea Sparks put runners on first and second. Brenna Morrissey singled to left and as the runner came to the plate, right fielder Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.) threw her out. Jessica Clifton, then hit a clutch two-out double to right as the first two runs came across the plate.

Chattanooga had an opportunity to cut into the lead as Osterman singled up the middle and Tydingco advanced to first on catcher's interference. Suetsugu knocked one up the middle and coach Reed sent Osterman to the plate, but a perfect throw by the center fielder Clifton ended the inning.

After yielding two hits, Deason was able to finish the inning with a strikeout and ground out. Dutton made a diving catch in left center, robbing the Panthers of a hit.

With two outs in the third, Dutton started the offense with a double to right. She was driven home by Fuzzard, who singled up the middle. Morimoto reached on a hard liner that the second baseman was unable to handle, but a fielder's choice ended the Lady Mocs threat.

Both teams went down in order during the fourth, but Georgia State extended its lead to 5-1. The Panthers made the Lady Mocs pay after Deason walked two with one out as Audrey Mason tripled down the right field line. Mason came around to score on a sacrifice bunt.

Chattanooga drew two walks in the fifth, but was unable to cut into the Georgia State lead.

Alana Thomas recorded the complete-game victory for Georgia State to improve to 3-0 on the season. Cifton and Mason each drove in two runs, while Alford and Mason each notched multi-hit games.