Courtesy: GoMocs
Senior Michelle Fuzzard drove in a Lady Mocs single-game record nine runners.
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Chattanooga at Appalachian St.
March 24-25, 2012 |
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| Boone, N.C. (Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium) |
| Team |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
R |
H |
E |
CHATT (18-11)
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3
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4
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5
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3 |
1
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0
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0
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16
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16
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2
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APP (12-14)
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0
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2
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0
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0
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2
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0
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0
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4
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6
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1
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BOONE, N.C. - The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team completed a marathon
game that started Saturday and was completed Sunday, which included several
record setting performances in a 16-4 five-inning victory at Appalachian State.
Senior designated player Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) had a
career game driving in a school-best nine runs on two home runs, a double and
a walk at Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium.
"It was great to come to the plate with runners on base because I would not have been able to set that record with out them," said Fuzzard. "My hits would have been a bunch of single RBI if it wasn't for nine, one and two hitters getting on infront of me.
"We have had some great players in our program that have set these records and it is an honor to be passing those great players."
The nine RBI by Fuzzard was the most by a Lady Mocs since Jada
Pescatore had seven on March 23, 2002. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native also became
the Southern Conference's all-time RBI leader with 191 passing Amanda Cone,
College of Charleston (2001-04) with 184.
Chattanooga improved to 18-11 overall and 4-0 in the SoCon,
while Appalachian State fell to 12-14 and 3-4 in league play and the final two games of the series were canceled due to continued rain. The teams
played through two rain delays of 60 and 80 minutes on Saturday before deciding at 5:30 p.m.,
to resume the contest on Sunday.
"We have had a couple of them this year," said head coach Frank Reed on the rain delays. "I guess that we have learned from them. I was really proud of the team in that game yesterday because when we stopped, we came back to add runs every time. I think that continuing to be focused is something that you have to do in those kinds of situation."
As a team, Chattanooga blasted six home runs during the
contest, tying a single-game high of six last set at Samford on April 10, 2001.
Connecting on those blasts were senior shortstop Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills,
Calif.) and freshman third baseman Sarah Beth Roberts (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.),
while freshman Nicole Osterman (Kissimmee, Fla.) and Fuzzard had two round
trippers each.
Registering three hits along with Fuzzard was sophomore
outfielder Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.), who scored two runs and one RBI,
as Chattanooga posted 16 base knocks during the game. Junior second baseman
Sara Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.), junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield,
Calif.), Osterman and Roberts each had multi-hit games.
Notching the win in the circle was freshman pitcher Taylor Deason (Clarksville, Tenn.), who struckout two, improving to 12-5 on the campaign.
The Chattanooga offense started quickly as Poteat beat-out
an infield single to short prior to freshman outfielder Cheyenne Willis (Manchester, Tenn.) drawing a walk. Fuzzard stepped up
and clocked her first homer of the game off the football indoor training
facility in right center. The three RBI provided the Huntington Beach, Calif.,
native with 185 during her career, which put her in sole possession of first
place on the SoCon all-time RBI chart.
"That was exactly what we wanted to do in setting the tone early for the rest of the weekend," said Fuzzard. "We wanted to come out strong. The girls did a good job at getting on and we rolled from there."
In the bottom-half, Deason had one runner on via a single to
left center by Sarah Wamock before she induced a double play ball to third baseman
Roberts, which was turned by Poteat at second to end the frame.
The big bats came out in the second as Traxler and Roberts
started it off with back-to-back lined shots that cleared the fence in left, chasing starter
Caroline Wainwright. A single by Rieck up the middle continued the frame before
Fuzzard connected on her second home run of the contest, 7-0. It was her second
career multi-home run game, which last occurred on Feb. 19, 2012
against Eastern Illinois.
The Mountaineers struck for two runs in the second as
Whitlock singled up the middle with two runners in scoring position to plate
one, then a fielder's choice off the bat of Pierce brought home the second, 7-2.
Leading off the third was Osterman with a blast to right
center that cleared the netting protecting the football indoor facility.
Roberts singled to the shortstop and Rieck used a sacrifice bunt to move her to
second following a 60 minute rain delay. Consecutive free passes to Poteat and
Willis loaded the bases.
Once again, Fuzzard came through with a bases clearing
double off the 12-foot tall fence in straight-away center, increasing her
single-game RBI total to eight. She came around to score
as Tydingco singled to center, 12-2.
Following a quick inning for Deason, Osterman reached on an
error by a fielding mistake by the shortstop and took second on a wild pitch. A
brief five-minute hail delay ensued before a clutch two-out single up the
middle by Rieck extended the Lady Mocs lead to 13-2.
Poteat reached on an infield single before Willis was
plunked by a pitch to load the bases. With Fuzzard facing a 3-2 pitch with two
outs and the bases loaded, the rain along with hail came in full force as the
teams were forced from the field at 5:30 p.m. and agreed to return the
following day.
The first pitch on Sunday at 12:52 p.m., to Fuzzard was in
the dirt as she drew a walk and brought home a run. Another walk issued to
Tydingco put the Lady Mocs up 15-2 before the Mountaineers recorded the final
out of the frame.
Deason made quick work of Appalachian State in the
bottom-half as Osterman led off the fifth with a home run to left. It was her
first career multi-home run game and the fourth round tripper this season.
Appalachian State plated two runs as Dani Heichen started off the
frame with a double and scored on a Warnock double to the same location two
batters later. An error allowed the second run to score before Deason retired
the side and ended the contest at 16-4.
Trio of hurlers, Caitlin and Caroline Wainwright and Caroline Williams, combined to strikeout three batters. Warnock and Heichen each had multi-hit games for Appalachian Sate.
The Lady Mocs are back on the road next weekend with a
series at Georgia Southern, starting Saturday at 1 p.m. Both teams are undefeated
in conference action and fans can follow the series with links to live stats
and free audio on the softball schedule page of GoMocs.com.
