CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team
tallied 16 hits and tied a season-high six doubles, but would leave 14
runners on base as the home team rallied twice at Frost Stadium to tie the
contest at three in the seventh and eventually win in the eighth, 5-4, against
Western Carolina. Game-tying singles were hit by junior second baseman Ninjja Suetsugu (Sao Paulo, Brazil) and freshman outfielder Cheyenne Willis
(Manchester, Tenn.), while senior catcher Vivian Morimoto (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
sent home the game-winning run on a bases loaded hit by pitch.
The Lady Mocs improved to 27-13 overall and 11-2 in the Southern
Conference, and Western Carolina dropped to 16-29 and 3-12 in the league.
Leading the offense with three hits each were senior pitcher
Michelle Fuzzard (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and sophomore outfielder Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.). Three players - senior shortstop Jessica Traxler
(Chino Hills, Calif.), sophomore outfielder Layne Rainey (Clarksville, Tenn.)
and Willis - each added two base knocks. Driving in three runs was Morimoto
with a double and hit by pitch.
Fuzzard tossed seven strong innings in the
circle, striking out a season-best six. Freshman Taylor Deason
(Clarksville, Tenn.) came in during the eighth to claim her 16th win of the campaign.
With the Lady Mocs looking to close out the contest with a
2-0 lead going to the top of the seventh, Haley Pace started off the frame
with a home run to left field, providing a spark for the Catamounts. The comeback
was completed three batters later as Erin Foster sent the first pitch she saw over the
fence down the left field line. It was the first lead of the day, 3-2, for Western Carolina.
In the first, Chattanooga began the scoring as Fuzzard and
Morimoto registered back-to-back doubles in taking a 1-0 lead.
Tacking on another run in the second was Morimoto with a
sacrifice fly after Rieck and Fuzzard notched consecutive singles. The Lady
Mocs would end the frame with three runners left on base.
In the fourth, another opportunity presented itself as Rieck
singled and Fuzzard delivered a double to right center, all with two outs. Both
runners would be stranded in scoring position though.
After the Catamounts took a 3-2 lead in the seventh, junior
first baseman Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.) began the offense with a one-out double into the left center
field gap. An out and walk set the
stage for Suetsugu as she delivered a two-out single into center, providing Chattanooga
with a second life.
Western Carolina would retake the lead, 4-3, in the top of
the eighth as Morgan Wyatt ledoff the frame with a double off the fence in left
center. Pinch runner Bekah Burkett eventually scored on the next play, a
sacrifice bunt, which was thrown down the right field line. Another single from
Shemekia Scotton kept the pressure on the reliever, Deason, but she would
repond by retiring the next three in succession.
In the bottom-half, Rainey reached on an infield single to
short and took second on a throw that landed in the WCU dugout. The next
batter, Willis, knotted the contest at four with a single to right center and advanced
to second on the throw to the plate. A single through the left side by Rieck put
runners at the corners before Fuzzard was walked to load the bases. Morimoto took
two-consecutive balls prior to being plunked by an inside pitch as the Lady Mocs
secured the 5-4 win in eight.
The Lady Mocs return to action on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
against UAB, completing a 10-game homestand at Frost Stadium. Fans can follow all
the action with live stats and subscription video through MocsVision as the
Voice of Lady Mocs softball has the play-by-play call.
Western Carolina Highlights
