CHATTANOOGA --- With impending weather expected to hit the Macon, Ga., area on Sunday, the Chattanooga Mocs softball team will now face off against the Southern Conference-leading Mercer Bears on Friday and Saturday at Sikes Field.

Friday's tilt will be a single game and carries a 7 p.m. EDT first pitch time before the series wraps on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. EDT.

Chattanooga (23-11, 2-4 SoCon) enters the contest on a four-game skid while Mercer (19-21, 5-1 SoCon) has won its last six and taken sole possession atop the conference standings. The Bears have won six of the last seven meetings in the series history including the last five.

The Mocs offense has been a key factor in contributing to the tough stretch over the last two weeks. In its last four games, UTC has went 19-for-100 (.190) with just four extra-base hits while reaching base at a .221% clip. Despite the dip, the team actively leads the SoCon with a .298 team average this season.

The pitching staff has continued to provide impressive numbers, bolstering SoCon-bests in ERA (2.40) earned runs allowed (78) and fewest hits allowed (222) this season.  

More notes on Chattanooga softball, series information, opponent preview and more is below.

Unfortunately, the entirety of the series will not be streamed live. However, live stats are available for all games. Links are available at GoMocs.com under the softball schedule page.
 
SERIES INFORMATION
Sikes Field – Macon, Ga.
GM1 Friday, April 12 – 7 p.m.              (STATS)
GM2 Saturday, April 13 – 3 p.m.          (STATS)
GM3 Saturday, April 13 – 2 p.m.          (STATS)

CHATTANOOGA NOTABLES | NOTES
- Chattanooga fell to 23-11 overall & 2-4 in SoCon action after suffering a three-game sweep to UNCG on March 30 & 31... lost all three games by a combined four runs... two one-run games... entered series a combined 10-3 in two-run or less games... on current four game skid.
- UTC pitching staff has been impressive all season long including the last four games... limited hitters to .204 (20-for-98) average while totaling a 2.07 ERA in that span... season ERA of 2.40 ranks 1st in the SoCon... 40th across all of NCAA DI softball.
- Aly Walker (Jr., OF) leads the SoCon with a .363 (37-for-102) average... 2nd in OBP (.467)... 5th in runs scored (27)... has a hit in six of last eight.
- Celie Hudson (Jr., P) tossed CGs in five of her last six starts... 12 ERs allowed in 32.0IP... has limited hitters to .217 average this season.
- Emma Sturdivant (Sr., 1B) ranks 4th in the SoCon with .355 (39-for-110) average... 11 hits & six RBI in last six games... seven multi-RBI games this season ties team-high... nine multi-hit games ranks second.
- Allison Swinford (So., P) picked up her 100th career strikeout in a CG, 6K performance against UNCG (3/30)... ranks 30th across all NCAA DI with 1.47 ERA this season.
 
MERCER BEARS (19-21, 5-1 SoCon) | STATS
Notable players: Danielle Castleberry, R-So.-INF (.362/20RBI/.479OBP), Allie Jones, So.-OF (.333/20RBI/10SB), Megan Lane, Sr.-C/OF (.325/4HR/30R), Bailey Pattison, Fr.-P (9-8/3.74ERA/47K)

After dropping its Southern Conference-opener to Western Carolina on March 29, Mercer has reeled off six-straight victories including five within the league. Mercer earned the series win over WCU before sweeping ETSU in a three-game set last weekend to vault atop the standings with a 5-1 record. The Bears defeated FAMU, 5-4, in a mid-week contest on April 3 to add to its win streak.

Danielle Castleberry leads the league's second-ranked offensive attack with a blistering .362 (42-for-116) average, sitting just a point behind Walker for the top spot in the SoCon. She leads the conference with a .479% OBP. As a team, Mercer is batting .283 with league-highs in runs (212), hits (294) and RBI (173).

The Bears pitching staff has been the soft spot for majority of the season, but things have turned on as of late, allowing just three runs per game during the win streak. Mercer carries a staff ERA of 4.73 and has limited hitters to a .290 average for the season.

In last weekend's series against ETSU, the staff combined to surrender just four earned runs in 21.0 innings of work. In its six SoCon games, Mercer holds a league-best 1.05 ERA. Bailey Pattison leads the team with a 9-8 record and 3.74 ERA this season.

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