The Chattanooga Mocs softball team beat Hartford 3-2 and fell 8-0 to Rutgers on the second day of the USF Under Armour Invitational in Clearwater, Fla. UTC is 16-15.

"I think we came out more prepared to play in the second game," head coach Frank Reed stated. "Sometimes we come out flat, and we can't afford to do that. We have to be sharp every day. We've got to come out and really play up."

The Mocs' first game of the day was scheduled for 11:45 a.m. (E.D.T), but it didn't start until 5:00 p.m. due to rain and lightning in the area.

Against Hartford, sophomore Kailey Palazzolo started the game off with a strikeout and fanned another to close out the top of the first. She finished the matchup with five strikeouts.

It was scoreless until the fourth when the Hawks scored two runs.

Chattanooga answered in the fifth. Alyssa Taylor hit a single to left field, while freshman Jordan Fortel followed with a double. Senior Anyssa Robles then batted both of them in to tie the game 2-2.

In the bottom of the sixth, freshman Alyssa Coppinger and seniors Sam Taylor and Alyssa Taylor each singled. Alyssa Taylor's hit brought Coppinger home, giving the Mocs their first lead of the game at 3-2.

"It's a win," Reed said. "We're still growing. We have one more game before we go into conference play."

UTC held off Hartford in the top of the seventh with three outs in a row.

In the first game of the day, Rutgers' Rebecca Hall scored a run in the opening inning to give the Scarlet Knights a 1-0 lead.

Rutgers then put together six runs in the third inning and added one in the fifth.

Freshman Amanda Beltran posted a team-best six putouts, while seniors Criket Blanco and Alyssa Taylor and Fortel each tallied a hit.

The Mocs wrap up their last regular-season tournament with a contest against UMass Lowell Sunday at 9:00 a.m.

Check the softball schedule page for a link to live stats.