CLEARWATER, Fla. --- For the first time in the 2019 season, the Chattanooga Mocs softball team dropped consecutive games after falling to Seton Hall and North Dakota State at the USF Invitational on Saturday afternoon in Clearwater, Fla., at the Eddie C. Moore Softball complex.
 
Chattanooga (20-6) dropped an 8-2 decision in a re-match with Seton Hall (9-12) during game one of the day. UTC was held to six-straight scoreless innings after plating two first inning runs.
 
Chattanooga (20-7) battled a tough North Dakota State (17-11) in a 5-1 loss during the nightcap. NDSU was coming off an emotional 3-0 win over Purdue minutes before turning around to play UTC and extended its winning streak to seven games.  
 
BOX SCORE » Seton Hall 8, Chattanooga 2
Seton Hall struck for a run in the top of the first off starting pitcher Allison Swinford to take an early 1-0 lead. The Pirates drew a leadoff walk before ripping three-straight singles including an RBI knock to left field.
 
Chattanooga responded in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs on two hits. Emily Coltharp led the frame off with a single before Sidney Swantic reached on a fielder's choice to put runners at first and second with no outs.
 
Aly Walker followed with a sacrifice bunt before Emma Sturdivant recorded an RBI groundout to tie things up 1-1. Halie Williamson delivered with an RBI single through the right side to put UTC ahead 2-1 after working a nine-pitch at-bat.
 
Seton Hall did not wait long to re-gain the lead, 3-2, after scoring two runs on three hits and one UTC error in the top of the second. Both runs went down as unearned to Swinford's credit after a fielding error allowed the inning to continue.
 
The Pirates limited the Mocs offensive attack to just eight hits and did not surrender another run after the opening frame. Chattanooga stranded at least one runner in six of the seven innings and ended the game with eight total.
 
Seton Hall cushioned their lead with a run in the fourth to make it 4-2 before opening the floodgates in the top of the seventh with a four spot to pull ahead 8-2.
 
Notable Performances: Halie Williamson (2-for-3, RBI); Devan Brown (2-for-3, 2B); Emily Coltharp (1-for-3, R); Sidney Swantic (1-for-3, R)
 
BOX SCORE » North Dakota St. 5, Chattanooga 1
North Dakota State utilized the 'small ball' strategy to its advantage in the bottom of the first. NDSU led the frame off with consecutive singles before a sacrifice bunt and successful suicide-squeeze attempt allowed a run to cross the plate for a 1-0 lead.
 
Chattanooga would fight back in the top of the third to tie things 1-1 when Emily Coltharp singled with one out and later stole second two pitches later, setting up an Aly Walker two-out, RBI-single to center.
 
Celie Hudson earned her 10^th start of the season in the circle and cruised through the first four innings, allowing just the one run in the first, before falling victim to a Bison rally.
 
NDSU scored four runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth to open up a 5-1 lead on Hudson and the Mocs. The Bison ripped two, one-RBI singles while adding a two-RBI single with the bases loaded to convert the four runs.
 
Chattanooga was sat down in order in the fifth and sixth and mustered just a single in the seventh in its attempt to make a comeback. The team finished with six hits, all singles, while leaving six stranded on the base paths.
 
Hudson (7-4) suffered the loss after tossing 6.0 innings while allowing eight hits and five earned runs. She struck out four and walked three while facing 28 batters faced.
 
Notable Performances: Aly Walker (2-for-3, RBI); Devan Brown (2-for-3); Emily Coltharp (1-for-4, R)

CHATTANOOGA NOTABLES
- Chattanooga falls to 20-7 overall in 2019… first time this season dropping consecutive games… entered 5-0 in games following a loss.
- Devan Brown finished a combined 4-for-6 on Saturday… upped her season batting average to .280 (14-for-50)… second and third multi-hit games this year.
- Emily Coltharp picked up hits in both games on Saturday… extends hitting streak to five games… eight hits in last 15 at-bats.

UP NEXT
Chattanooga wraps up non-conference tournament play at the USF Invitational in Clearwater, Fla., tomorrow with a 10 a.m. matchup against Buffalo. Live stats are located on the schedule page.

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