CLEARWATER, FLA. - The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team started the day with a 6-2 victory over Northwestern (8-14) before falling on a walk-off single to UMass (10-8), 12-1, on Saturday at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla. Senior second baseman Sara Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.) and freshman third baseman Sarah Beth Roberts (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) led the Lady Mocs with four hits in the doubleheader.

Driving in a team-best five RBI on the day was junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.) on two doubles and a triple, while senior catcher Vivian Morimoto (Sao Paulo, Brazil) plated four including her team-leading ninth round tripper of the season.

Also connecting on a home run was senior shortstop Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.) against Northwestern, which was her fifth of the season.

In the circle, freshman pitcher Taylor Deason (Clarksville, Tenn.) picked up her 11th win of the campaign against Northwestern, tossing a complete-game seven hitter with two strikeouts. Taking the loss against UMass was senior Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) as she threw four strong innings, but had to come back into the game during the sixth.

The Lady Mocs return to action on Sunday to complete the USF Invite against Illinois at 11:15 a.m. Fans can follow all the action with live stats and free audio available on the softball schedule page of GoMocs.com. The Voice of Lady Mocs softball, Tyler Brown, has the play-by-play call for each contest this season.

GAME ONE: CHATTANOOGA 6, NORTHWESTERN 2

Neither team was able to score a run in the first as each squad left two runners on base.

Chattanooga broke the tie in the top of the second as Traxler led off with a home run down the left field line. The hitting continued as freshman outfielder Nicole Osterman (Kissimmee, Fla.) singled through the left side to chase the pitcher Amy Letourneau.

In came Sammy Alabanese, she coaxed a groundout out before Osterman took third on a passed ball. A walk drawn by Willis loaded the bases, but the Lady Mocs were unable to break the game open.

After Deason made quick work of the Wildcats in the second, a two-out walk to Traxler started a rally, which was followed by Osterman being plunked by a pitch. Roberts delivered a ground-rule double down the left field line scoring Traxler. The third pitcher of the contest, Meghan Lamberth, came on to retire the side.

The Wildcats answered in the bottom-half with a run of their won as Mari Majam singled to third and stole second base before Bast singled up the middle, 2-1.

Leading off the fourth was Poteat with a single up the middle. Driving a single through the right side was Fuzzard as Poteat moved to third. Scoring the third run of the game for the Lady Mocs was Poteat on a wild pitch.

Another strong start for Chattanooga occurred in the fifth with Traxler doubling to right center on a long at bat. Osterman followed it up with a single to left, which allowed Traxler to take third. Another passed ball enabled Traxler to come across the plate, 4-1.

The Lady Mocs extended the lead to 6-1 in the sixth as Willis drew a walk, then Tydingco tripled and scored on a throwing mistake by the shortstop.

Northwestern mounted a comeback in the seventh with a single through the right side before a fielding miscue put two runners on base. A walk loaded the bases before a second one scored a run with two outs. Deason was able to coax back-to-back fly outs to seal the victory.

The trio in the circle for the Wildcats combined for seven strikeouts. Marisa Bast paced the offense with three hits and a RBI.

GAME TWO: UMASS 12, CHATTANOOGA 11

Chattanooga continued its offensive effort as Poteat singled to the catcher and stole second before Fuzzard singled to shallow right center. Back-to-back doubles by Fuzzard and Morimoto plated three runs in the first for the Lady Mocs.

During the bottom-half, Fuzzard notched a strikeout and Tydingco registered a double play following a single up the middle by Diaz-Patterson.

After both teams were unsuccessful in the second, UMass put a couple of runs on the scoreboard as a walk and two-out single to short put two runners in scoring position. Diaz-Patterson stepped up with a double down the left field line, but would be out on the play at third.

The Lady Mocs add three runs to their lead in the fifth as Poteat singled to third and advanced to second on a throwing error. Willis drove her home with a double down the left field line. A blast by Morimoto to right center extended the lead to 6-2.

In the bottom-half, UMass was able to score four runs on four hits, but two hit batters aided the scoring for the Minutemen as the contest was tied at six.

A swift response was made by Chattanooga as a fielding miscue by the pitcher put Roberts on base with one out. Dutton singled to the shortstop as alert base running put runners on the corners. A RBI-single by Poteat plated the first run, and then Willis singled to right to load the bases.

The bases were cleared with a double to left center by Tydingco, 10-6. She eventually came around to score on a fielding error by the first baseman.

UMass continued to pressure the Lady Mocs in the circle as an infield single started off the sixth before a strikeout provided the first out. A miscue at third put two runners on before a single through the right side filled the bases.

Converting on a single through the right side was Diaz-Patterson to cut the deficit to three, 11-8. Deason induced a groundout for the second out, but a hit batter loaded the bases before Kyllie Magill doubled down the right field line to bring UMass to within one.

As Fuzzard relieved Deason in the circle, back-to-back walks knotted the contest at 11 before a strikeout retired the side.

Following a leadoff single by Roberts to right, UMass went to the bullpen and brought in Sara Plourde, who was able to end the top of the seventh.

The game winning run would be put on first after a long at-bat between Fuzzard and Plourde that saw the UMass player foul off 13 pitches before walking. A single to short put two runners on before a single to center loaded the bases. The game-winning run would be driven in by Bettencourt with a single through the right side.

Earning the win for the Minutemen was Plourde, who improved to 9-6 on the year. Bridget Lemire was the starter and went 6.1 innings with five strikeouts.

The offense for UMass was led by Cyndill Matthey and Diaz-Patterson with four hits each, while Diaz-Patterson drove in four runs.