CHATTANOOGA – The Chattanooga Mocs softball team opens up a five-game home stand on Wednesday against UAB before hosting Furman for a crucial three-game Southern Conference series on Saturday and Sunday.
Chattanooga (19-22) has won its last five Southern Conference games and currently sits third in the league standings at 5-4 after a three-game sweep over Western Carolina last weekend. Furman (29-10, 3-3) enters the weekend on a three-game SoCon win streak after sweeping ETSU and sits in fourth.
Wednesday's 6 p.m. non-conference contest with UAB is $1 hot dog and Coca-Cola night at the ballpark and will be streamed LIVE on the SoCon Digital Network.
Saturday's doubleheader with Furman begins at 1 p.m. and will feature post-game autographs after the conclusion of game two. The Mocs will wrap up the series on Sunday at 2 p.m. All three games of the series will be broadcasted LIVE on the newly launched ESPN+ ($) through the WatchESPN App. Fans wanting to tune in will have to subscribe through your cable provider.
Game coverage links can be found on the schedule page when made available. Tickets can be purchased on GoMocs.com by visiting the schedule page or by calling (423) 266-MOCS. Tickets will also be available at Frost Stadium one hour before first pitch.
Full opponent previews and notes regarding Chattanooga can be found below.
» Previewing: UAB (15-24-1, 7-4-1 C-USA)* as of 4/10
UAB has played to a 15-24-1 overall record while sitting at 7-4-1 in C-USA action. The Blazers will host Troy on Tuesday before heading to the Scenic City. They're coming off three-straight C-USA series wins, taking two of three from Southern Miss, MTSU and UTEP.
Destini England (.416) and Natalie Erwin (.350) lead the UAB squad on the offensive side with a combined four homeruns and 36 RBI. Erwin carries a team-best .573 slugging percentage while England reaches base at a team-high .453 clip. Eight different hitters have at least one homerun this season.
In the circle, Emily Kachel leads the squad with 29 appearances and 22 starts while pitching to an even 10-10 record on a team-best 2.84 ERA. She has struck out 87 batters and allowed 51 earned runs in her 125.2 innings of work. Claire Blount also has over 100 innings pitched this season (101.1) and carries a 4.01 ERA.
» Previewing: Furman (29-10, 3-3 SoCon)* as of 4/10
The Paladins are currently 29-10, 3-3 in SoCon action before traveling to Charleston Southern for a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday. Furman picked up a sweep over ETSU last weekend after suffering a sweep to UNCG the previous weekend to open up SoCon play. In the latest RPI, they are slotted No. 62, second-best in the SoCon.
Candace Johnson leads the team with a .296 batting average while AnnaRose Borrelli follows with a .282 average. Borelli has belted eight homeruns and totaled 30 RBI this season in addition to seven doubles. Furman ranks third in the SoCon with 31 homeruns as a team, trailing league-leader UNCG by only six.
Lindsey Bert (18-7) continues her stellar collegiate career in the circle and has pitched to an impressive 1.78 ERA. The 2017 SoCon Pitcher of the Year leads all of NCAA Division I this season with 227 strikeouts and 177.1 innings pitched. Bert recently picked up her 78
th victory and 768
th career strikeout, both all-time records at Furman. Emily Demonte has tossed 73.1 innings this season and carries an 11-1 record and a 2.58 ERA.
» Chattanooga Team Notes | Game Notes
- The high-powered offense of the Chattanooga Mocs continued to come up with clutch, timely hitting in the three game sweep over WCU.
- Trailing 3-2 in the top of fifth during game one, the Mocs scored three runs, all with two outs, to take a late 5-3 lead. Game three featured a similar scenario.
- UTC trailed 2-1 heading into the sixth inning & once again plated three runs, all on two outs, to take a late two-run lead.
- The Chattanooga Mocs offense ranks at the top, or near the top, of the SoCon in almost every offensive category.
- The Mocs are batting .292 (1st) while reaching base at a .365 percentage (2nd).
- The team's 319 hits are 35 more than the next SoCon team (Mercer) and the 169 RBI, 50 doubles & 447 total bases all rank 2nd in the league.
- Chattanooga battled Furman to a 2-2 split in the four meetings a season ago.
- The Mocs downed the Co-SoCon Regular Season champs in the season finale & upset the Paladins (#2 seed) in the opening game of the SoCon Tournament.
» Chattanooga Individual Notes | Game Notes
- Senior shortstop Brook Womack has been named the Southern Conference Player of the Month for her play in the month of March.
- Womack batted a blistering .453 (29-for-64) in 23 games and racked up five homeruns, three doubles and 21 RBI while scoring 15 times.
- Womack currently leads the SoCon with in batting average (.396), RBI (32) & on-base percentage (.475).
- Numerous Mocs have active offensive streaks still alive entering the week.
- Freshman pitcher Allison Swinford and Celie Hudson combined for three wins during the SoCon sweep over WCU last weekend.
- Hudson went 2-0 after tossing 3.1 innings of relief in GM1 and 5.0 innings in GM2's five-inning mercy rule win. She allowed only six hits over the 8.1 innings while surrendering two runs and striking out three.
- Swinford went 1-0 after allowing zero earned runs in a complete game victory in GM3. Tossing a combined 10.2 innings in the three games, she allowed nine hits and only three earned runs.
Follow @GoMocsSB on Twitter for the most up-to-date information regarding Chattanooga softball.
