CLEARWATER, Fla. --- A complete-game shutout performance from freshman Mariah Ramirez and a late solo homerun from senior Emma Sturdivant backed the Chattanooga Mocs softball team in a 1-0 win over Holy Cross to split Saturday's doubleheader at the USF Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.

Chattanooga (16-4) suffered a 4-1 loss to UCF (16-7) during game one of the day after three seventh-inning runs from the Knights thwarted the upset bid. UCF received a pair of votes in the latest ESPN/NFCA Coaches Top 25 Poll.

Chattanooga (17-4) rebounded with a 1-0 win over Holy Cross (2-10) to gain the split. Ramirez went the distance in a phenomenal three-hit shutout performance with a career-high eight strikeouts to improve her pitching record to 7-0 this season.
 
GAME 1 BOX » UCF 4, Chattanooga 1
Starting pitcher's Celie Hudson (UTC) and Alea White (UCF) decided to try to repeat last year's pitcher's duel between the two teams. UCF defeated UTC 3-1 last season in a game that featured stellar pitching and limited offense.

In today's game, UCF grabbed a 1-0 lead after lacing back-to-back doubles to begin the top of the third. Hudson settled in and left a pair of runners stranded to limit the threat to just one run.

Chattanooga would respond in the home half of the fourth with three-straight, one-out singles from Aly Walker, Emma Sturdivant and Halie Williamson to load the bases for Morgan Kazerooni. Kazerooni drew a six-pitch walk to bring in Walker and tie the game up 1-1.

Hudson kept the Knights in-check over the next two innings before one pitch ended up being the difference in the game in the top of the seventh.

With two runners on and one out, UCF's Kyra Klarkowski roped a triple to the fence in center and came in to score on the play after a UTC throwing error allowed things to spiral. Chattanooga failed to put together a rally in the bottom half and dropped the contest, 4-1.

Hudson (6-4) suffered the loss in the circle despite pitching to a more-than quality outing. She threw all 7.0 innings and allowed five hits and four earned runs while striking out seven.

Chattanooga finished with only five hits, all singles, and struck out 11 times at the plate, second most in a game this season.

Notable Performances: Celie Hudson (CG, 5H, 3ER, 7K); Aly Walker (2-for-3, R), Morgan Kazerooni (RBI)

GAME 2 BOX » Chattanooga 1, Holy Cross 0
In game two of Saturday's doubleheader, freshman pitcher Mariah Ramirez was handed the rock against Holy Cross and she stepped up in a big way to continue the blistering start to her collegiate career in a UTC uniform.

Ramirez allowed a lead-off triple in the top of the first, but left the inning unscathed after forcing an out at the plate a batter later and recording a strikeout and a ground-out to end the threat.

She settled in after the opening frame and was nothing short of magnificent the rest of the way for UTC. Ramirez allowed just five total baserunners with only two reaching scoring position.

She worked 1-2-3 innings in the second, third and sixth innings while also facing the minimum in the fifth after Amanda Beltran ended the inning by catching a potential base-stealer at second.

Chattanooga's bats were extremely limited in return, failing to push a run across over the first five innings to support Ramirez's performance.

Emma Sturdivant broke through for the Mocs in the top of the sixth. Sturdivant laced her third homer of the season, a solo shot, over the center field fence to put UTC ahead 1-0.

The one run was all Ramirez (7-0) needed to earn her seventh victory of the season in the circle. In total, she fired a complete-game, three-hit shutout while registering a career-high eight strikeouts and walking just one.   

UTC finished with a season-low two hits during the win while striking out eight times and leaving five stranded. Sidney Swantic was responsible for the other tally in the hit column with a single in the third inning.

Notable Performances: Mariah Ramirez (CG, W, SHO, 3H, 8K); Emma Sturdivant (1-for-1, HR, RBI, 2 BB)

CHATTANOOGA NOTABLES
- Chattanooga moves to 17-4 in the 2019 season… now 7-1 in one-run games after 1-0 win over Holy Cross… second shutout of the season from the pitching staff.
- Mariah Ramirez improves to 7-0 with 2.36 ERA this season… career-high 8 K's in 1-0 win over HC… first career complete-game shutout… 3-0 with three complete games over last three starts… five earned runs and 12 strikeouts during that span.
- Emma Sturdivant homered for the third time this season in win over HC… batting .359 with 17 RBI and .440 OBP this season… has a hit in five of last six games.
- Amanda Beltran was hit by a pitch for the 21^st time of her career during loss to UCF… sets new school record… has been HBP at least six times in a season over her freshman-junior years.

UP NEXT
Chattanooga continues play in the USF Invitational tomorrow with an 11:15 a.m. matchup against Seton Hall. Live stats are available on the schedule page (subject to change). We ask fans to please check @GoMocsSB on Twitter for any link or game time changes.

Follow @GoMocsSB on Twitter for the most up-to-date information regarding Chattanooga softball.