Courtesy: GoMocs
Freshman Sarah Beth Roberts went 5-6 this afternoon as the Lady Mocs took both games of a doubleheader against Western Carolina.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team promoted breast cancer awareness on Saturday afternoon at Frost Stadium and
registered victories of 4-1 and 10-2 after five innings against Western Carolina. Lady Mocs head coach Frank Reed, now in his 11th season guiding
the program, achieved his 900th career win (476 at Chattanooga State,
424 at Chattanooga) in game one.
"There are some many people that I can thank for that moment," said
coach Reed on reaching the 900-win milestone. "The players that I have coached
goes back many years. I am trying to remember my first one. I have just been at
it so long and can barely think about that day 20 years ago, when I earned my
first one. There have been a lot of ups and down including tears, heartaches
and smiles along with so many people to thank for allowing me to be fortunate
enough to get to this point."
Chattanooga has seen contributions from its entire lineup as
it improved to 27-15 overall and 10-2 in the Southern Conference, and the
bottom third and top two hitters stepped up today to propel the offense. Those
five batters - freshman Sarah Beth Roberts (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.), junior Ninjja Suetsugu (Sao Paulo, Brazil), sophomore Layne Rainey (Clarksville, Tenn.),
freshman Cheyenne Willis (Manchester, Tenn.) and sophomore Stephanie Rieck
(Chandler, Ariz.) - went 17-33 (.515) with nine RBI in the doubleheader against
Western Carolina (16-28, 3-11 SoCon).
"I am proud of those student-athletes," said Reed. "I am
just thinking about what can happen when the entire lineup is on the same page.
That is the reason that they call it a team game, if somebody doesn't get it
done, then someone else will. You want those kids to step up and have great
days for you and I am proud of them when they do."
Leading the effort in front of 586 spectators was Roberts in the seven spot going
five-for-six in the two contests with two doubles and two runs scored. Rieck,
the two-hole hitter, had a three-hit performance in game one to tie a
career-best and ended up with four on the day, driving home three runs.
At the bottom of the order, Rainey was a perfect 2-for-2 in
the second contest and drove in one. Out of the leadoff position, Willis
notched two hits along with two RBI, while Suetsugu at No. 8 rattled off three
hits including her first-career multi-hit game.
Senior pitcher Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.)
hit a solo home run for the Lady Mocs in game two, helping her own cause in the
circle as she improved to 11-6 on the season with two strikeouts. Another
clutch double came off the bat of senior catcher Vivian Morimoto (Sao Paulo,
Brazil), driving home two runs.
Notching the complete-game victory in game one was freshman
Taylor Deason (Clarksville, Tenn.), who registered five strikeouts to raise her
record to 15-7.
Western Carolina was led by Erin Foster with three hits on
the afternoon including her league-leading 14th home run on the season. Taking
the losses in the circle were Katie King (4-7) and Jordan Garrett (6-14) as the
Catamounts combined to strikeout six.
The finale of the three-game set between Chattanooga and
Western begins on Sunday at 2 p.m. Fans can follow all the action with live
stats and subscription-based video via links on the softball schedule page of
GoMocs.com. The Voice of Lady Mocs softball, Tyler Brown, has the call for each
contest this season.
GAME ONE: CHATTANOOGA 4, WESTERN CAROLINA 1
After Foster was stranded following a single, Willis began
the first for the Lady Mocs with a blooper to center before Rieck deposited a
pitch to right center for a base knock. Driving in two runs and providing
Chattanooga with an early two-run lead was Morimoto with a double down the right
field line.
In the second, Suetsugu began the frame with a single up the
middle and Rieck brought her home on a double lined into the right-center field
gap to increase the advantage to 3-0.
The Catamounts cut into the Lady Mocs lead in the fourth as Deason
found herself in trouble following a hit-by-pitch and walk, all with two outs.
Heather Chastain singled as the speedy Shemekia Scotton scored from second to cut into
the lead, 3-1.
Registering two hits for Chattanooga were Roberts and
Rainey as each beat-out infield singles, but would end up being stranded.
Chattanooga's response came in the fifth as Morimoto reached
on an error and Traxler walked to place a runner in scoring position. Producing
a run was Roberts with a single to right center, 4-1.
Deason would cruise the rest of the way in the circle for
Chattanooga and was aided by a strong defense that did not commit a mistake for
the 10th time this season.
GAME TWO: CHATTANOOGA 10, WESTERN CAROLINA 2 (5 INN.)
The scoring started quickly as Foster drilled a pitch over
the fence in right to put the Catamounts on top, 1-0.
Chattanooga would tie the contest in the first as Willis and
Morimoto walked before junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.) doubled
to the gap in right center.
Taking the lead for good were the Lady Mocs in the second
with Roberts doubling down the left field line to start off the frame. Rainey
singled to the pitcher and stole second. With two runners in scoring position,
Willis singled to left center, 3-1.
During the third inning, Fuzzard walk and Morimoto doubled
to right center. A throwing mistake plated the first run before Roberts notched
a two-RBI double, but would be out at third on the play, trying to stretch it
into a triple, 6-1.
Western Carolina dropped the lead to four, 6-2, in the
fourth as Steinhart doubled down the left field line and took third on an
errant throw before scoring on a groundout.
The Lady Mocs tacked on an additional run in the fourth as
Fuzzard connected on her eight home run on the season with a shot to right
center.
In the fifth, Roberts hit a hot-shot single to short.
Putting two runners in scoring position was Suetsugu with a double to right
center. Rainey laid down a successful squeeze bunt to score the first run of
the frame.
Ending the game was Rieck with a double to left center,
10-2, as the eight-run rule was implemented.
