In the circle, senior pitcher Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) improved to 4-3 on the season with one strikeout in four innings of work. Earning Chattanooga's (11-8) first save of the season was freshman pitcher Taylor Deason (Clarksville, Tenn.), who logged three innings, while fanning three batters.

"Michelle [Fuzzard] struggled a little bit down at Ole Miss and wasn't hitting her spots at times, but today she hit her spots really well and did a really nice job," said Reed. "It makes it much easier when you're setting those hitters up. You can find their weaknesses and then come back with something they like, or they think they like, and get a strikeout or a weak groundball."

The Lady Mocs notched nine hits during the contest as senior pinch hitter Jessica Traxler (Chino Hills, Calif.) and sophomore outfielder Layne Rainey (Clarksville, Tenn.) each drove in a run.

SIUE was able to plate the first run of the game following a leadoff walk to Lindsey Barron. The runner stole second and advanced to third with two outs on a fly ball to right center. Alex McDavid singled home the run with shot just over the out-stretched glove of Roberts at third into left field.

After the Cougars left two on in the top of the second, Morimoto dilled the second pitch she saw over the bleachers in right. A Roberts doubled to left center continued the offensive momentum and after stealing third, Rainey beat-out an infield single with two outs to put the Lady Mocs up, 2-1.

Chattanooga's defense came to play as junior shortstop Ninjja Suetsugu (Sao Paulo, Brazil) made a couple of fantastic plays during the contest, none better than the diving catch she made going away from the infield in shallow center during the third.

The leadoff spot during an inning continued to produce as Willis sent a drive that cleared the fence in center. It was her third of the season and increased the Lady Mocs lead to 3-1.

Following a couple of quick innings, the offense returned in the sixth as coach Reed altered the lineup with a series of pinch hitters. Sophomore Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.) started it off with a one-out single up the middle. A single by Roberts to center put two runners on, then Traxler came through with a clutch RBI-single to left center, 4-1.

Deason would close the door on SIUE in the seventh, notching two of her three strikeouts during the frame.

The Cougars were led by McDavid, who tallied two of the team's three hits along with the lone RBI. Pitcher Amanda Lambrecht went the distance and struck out seven, yielding four earned runs.

Chattanooga opens its Southern Conference schedule against College of Charleston on Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The contest will serve as youth day with the Lady Mocs conducting a post-gam autograph session. Sunday's finale of the series is set for a first pitch at 2 p.m.

Fans can follow all the action with live stats and subscription video through MocsVision with the Voice of Lady Mocs Softball, Tyler Brown, providing the play-by-play commentary. A new live stats feature has also been enabled allowing fans to follow the Lady Mocs at home or on the road via mobile devices through HTML live stats by clicking HERE.