NASHVILLE, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga Mocs softball team used a four-run fourth and three-run seventh to help down in-state foe Belmont, 8-1, on Tuesday evening at E.S. Rose Park Complex in Nashville, Tenn.
 
Chattanooga (26-12) has now won three of its last four after snapping a four-game skid last weekend at Mercer and is a perfect 9-0 against OVC members in 2019. Belmont (26-18) had its consecutive win streak over UTC snapped.

BOX SCORE » Chattanooga 8, Belmont 1
Sophomore Allison Swinford earned her eighth start of the season in the circle for Chattanooga and found herself in an early battle.
 
Belmont's leadoff hitter Baylee Cook lifted a solo homerun to left field to give the Bruins a quick 1-0 lead. Cook fouled off eight pitches and connected on the 14^th to complete the at-bat.
 
Chattanooga responded in the top of the second with a run on a Hayleigh Weissenbach sacrifice fly to center to tie things up 1-1. Halie Williamson led the inning off with a single and later advanced to third on an Amanda Beltran sacrifice bunt and wild pitch before scoring on the SAC fly.
 
After a scoreless third inning, UTC rallied for four runs on four hits in the top of the fourth to build a 5-1 advantage. Emma Sturdivant roped a one-out single down the line in right before Kacie Lynch entered as her pinch runner and advanced to second on a Halie Williamson walk.
 
Beltran followed with a long single off the fence in left to load the bases with one out. Weissenbach delivered again, this time with a two-RBI double inside the left field line, bringing in Lynch and Williamson. Devan Brown capped off the rally with a two-RBI single to center.
 
Mariah Ramirez took over Swinford's pitching duties for the Mocs in the bottom of the fourth. She recorded a pair of strikeouts in a spotless first inning of work before stranding two Belmont runners in the fifth on an inning-ending punch out.
 
Celie Hudson added to the Chattanooga pitching efforts by finishing out the final two innings of the game in the circle. She didn't allow a run and surrendered three hits while striking out three over the final six outs.
 
The Mocs cushioned its lead in the top of the seventh with three runs on three hits. Emily Coltharp led off with a single before Katie Corum was hit by the next pitch thrown. Aly Walker loaded the bases with a one base hit to left ahead of a Sturdivant sacrifice fly that made it 6-1.
 
Williamson stepped up two pitches later with a two-run homer over the left-center fence to up the lead for the visitors, 8-1.
 
Chattanooga finished with eight runs on 11 hits, both are the most for the team since March 23^rd's 9-0 win over Furman. Three hits went for extra bases including one homer.
 
Swinford (7-3) earned the pitching victory after going 3.0 innings while allowing five hits and one earned run, a leadoff homerun to start the bottom of the first. She struck out four and kept a clean slate in the walk column. Ramirez tossed 2.0 innings of hitless ball with three strikeouts and two walks.

Notable Performances: Allison Swinford (W, 3IP, 5H, ER, 4K), Halie Williamson (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI), Hayleigh Weissenbach (1-for-2, 2B, 3 RBI), Devan Brown (2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI)

UP NEXT
Chattanooga returns home to Jim Frost Stadium this Easter weekend for a three-game Southern Conference series against Western Carolina. UTC and WCU will play a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 4 p.m. while Saturday's series finale carries a Noon start time.
 
Friday's promotions include FREE rally towels to the first 300 fans and $1 hot dogs all doubleheader long. Chattanooga will host an 'Easter Egg Hunt' during Saturday's game where kids can try to search for and locate prize-filled eggs hidden around the stadium.
 
For more information on this weekend's promotions, CHECK THIS OUT. 

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