Courtesy: GoMocs
Senior Michelle Fuzzard improved to 7-6 in the circle and went 3-for-4 at the plate in the Lady Mocs 9-4 win.
STATESBORO, Ga. – The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team
fell 2-0 in the first game against Georgia Southern before tallying 12 hits in
a 9-3 victory at Eagle Field on Saturday afternoon. Senior catcher Vivian Morimoto (Sao Paulo, Brazil) went 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBI, while
classmate Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) registered a 3-for-4
performance with a run driven in.
Both teams play through a couple of light rain showers during the doubleheader as
Chattanooga improved to 19-12 and 4-1 in the Southern Conference, while the
split brought Georgia Southern to 21-12 and 7-1 in the league.
Earning the win in the circle during game two was Fuzzard,
who tossed a five hitter with four strikeouts, and increase her mark to 7-6 on
the season.
Freshman Taylor Deason (12-6) fell in a classic pitcher's duel tallying
seven strikeouts in the first contest. The Clarksville, Tenn., native went up against Sarah Purvis
(11-36), who registered 11 strikeouts and allowed four hits.
Notching hits in both contests were freshman outfielder
Cheyenne Willis (Manchester, Tenn.), junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco
(Fairfield, Calif.) and senior shortstop Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.).
Two-run homers blasted by Morimoto and Tydingco were struck
in the second game as the Lady Mocs registered 10 or more hits for the 14th
time this season.
Georgia Southern was led by MacKenzie Williams with a two-run homer in each game, while Marie Fogle went 3-for-3 in the first game.
The rubber-match of the series is set for Sunday with first
pitch slated for 1 p.m. Fans can follow all the action from Statesboro, Ga.,
with free audio and live stats via the softball schedule page of GoMocs.com.
GAME ONE: GEORGIA SOUTHERN 2, CHATTANOOGA 0
After the Lady Mocs went down in order during the first,
Georgia Southern notched two infield singles by Hannah Ennis and Fogle.
Deason notched two strikeouts and induced a ground ball to end the first.
The Eagles once again threatened in the second as Shelby
Morrill began the frame with a single to short and a fielding mistake by the Lady
Mocs put two runners on without an out. A sac bunt by Tabby Douberley moved the
runners up with one out, but Deason was up to the task with two more
strikeouts.
Another opportunity for Georgia Southern occurred in the third
as Fogle hit a shot up the middle and stole her seventh base of the season. She
moved up to third with two away on fly out to right, but would be stranded.
The first Lady Moc to reach base was Fuzzard after being plunked with two
out. On the next pitch, Tydingco sent a fly ball to center the alluded the
center fielder at the base of the fence for a double. Fuzzard would be held up
at third and Purvis was able to end the frame on a pop up.
To start off the fourth, junior second baseman Sara Poteat
(Thomaston, Ga.) took away hit by ranging to the right field line to field a
ball and made an off-balance throw to get the batter. Thomas singled up the
middle, then Douberley walked. The Lady Mocs hurler was up to the task again
forcing a strikeout and a foul out to retire the side.
After numerous opportunities, Georgia Southern took the lead
in the fifth as Williams hit a two-run shot over the fence in left, scoring
Hanna Ennis, who reached on a bunt single.
Poteat began the sixth with a single as she placed the ball
behind the circle. A base knock through the right side by Willis appeared to
put two on, but Poteat was tagged out on the play after over sliding third base.
A groundout by Fuzzard moved her to third, but the Eagles ended the frame on a
strikeout after a walk to Tydginco.
The Lady Mocs deense responded in the bottom-half as second
baseman Poteat handled a grounder, outfielder Willis caught a hard liner in
center and freshman third baseman Sarah Beth Roberts (Clarksville, Tenn.) nabbed a liner at the hot corner.
GAME TWO: CHATTANOOGA 9, GEORGIA SOUTHERN 4
A two-out double by Fuzzard started off the first for
Chattanooga before the Eagles retired the side.
Georgia Southern quickly took the lead as Ennis drew a walk
and Williams blasted her second home run of the doubleheader to right center.
Neither team threatened in the second, but the Lady Mocs
took the lead on the third with a five-run inning. Poteat led off with a walk
followed by a single to center by Willis.
Plating the first run of the twin bill was Fuzzard on a single
down the right field line and advanced to second. A groundout by Tydignco tied the
contest at two. The big hit came from Morimoto, a double in right center with
the bases loaded, driving home two more. Traxler completed the scoring with a single
through the right side, 5-2.
The Eagles went down in order during the third.
Connecting on a one-out double was Willis to begin the
fourth. Just clearing the fence in left center was Tydingco to extend the Lady Mocs
lead to 7-2. The Fairfield, Calif., native registered her seventh homer of the
season.
Adding a run for Georgia Southern in the fourth was Morrill
on a fielder's choice platting Fogle, 5-3. Prior to that Fogle reached on a
fielding miscue and a double off the bat of Williams. Fuzzard then worked out
of the jam with runners on the corners by recording a pop up and strikeout.
Both teams went quietly in the sixth, but Chattanooga lengthened
it lead with a two-run home run that cleared the batting cages in right field.
The Sao Paulo, Brazil native tallied her 10th homer of the campaign.
In the bottom of the sixth, Williams singled down the left
field and Tarashuk was plunked by a pitch. Morrill hit a liner to second
baseman Poteat, who tossed the ball to first for the double play.
The Eagles scored a run in the seventh before the Lady Mocs ended the game 9-4 on a foul out down the left field line.
