CHATTANOOGA --- For the 11^th time in program history, the Chattanooga Mocs softball team earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament after downing UNCG, 10-1, in the 2019 Southern Conference Tournament Championship on Saturday night inside Jim Frost Stadium.
 
Chattanooga (37-15) earned its 14^th SoCon Tournament title, 12 more of any current conference member. The 11^th NCAA Tournament appearance is also the most of any SoCon member.
 
UTC defeated UNCG, 10-1, in a five-inning, run-rule decision. The nine-run difference is the largest margin of victory since 2011 (Chattanooga).

GM2 BOX SCORE » #3 Chattanooga 10, #1 UNCG 1 (5)
In a winner-take-all game, a hot start in the top of the first decided who would eventually be crowned the 2019 Southern Conference champion.
 
Chattanooga scored nine runs on five hits and were helped out by a pair of UNCG errors to build an enormous 9-0 lead after just a half inning of play.
 
Emily Coltharp and Hayleigh Weissenbach led off with back-to-back singles before Aly Walker reached on an error and loaded the bases with no outs. Emma Sturdivant recorded an RBI on a fielder's error on the next at-bat. A second run came in to score on the error for a 2-0 UTC lead.
 
Halie Williamson singled after Sturdivant's plate appearance to load the bases for Amanda Beltran. Beltran belted her fourth grand slam of the season on the very first pitch of the at-bat over the right-center field fence, extending the UTC lead to 6-0. (WATCH)
 
After batting around in the order, Weissenbach knocked in an RBI with a groundout to short ahead of a Walker two-RBI single to right-center, capping off the nine-run frame and putting UTC ahead 9-0.
 
Williamson belted a solo homerun in the top of the second, her seventh of the season, to put the Mocs up by a clean 10-spot. UNCG struck for a run off starting pitcher Allison Swinford in the home half to cut things to nine, 10-1.
 
A brief lightning delay slowed things down for about an hour in the top of the fourth. Upon resumption, Swinford slammed the door shut the rest of the way to help lift Chattanooga to the tournament title.
 
Swinford (10-3) earned the victory after firing all 5.0 innings while allowing just three hits and one earned run. She finished the SoCon Tournament with a 2-0 record in 9.0 innings, striking out eight and allowing two earned runs.
 
Notable performances: Allison Swinford (W, 5.0IP, 3H, ER), Aly Walker (1-for-3, 2 RBI), Halie Williamson (2-for-3, HR, 2 R), Amanda Beltran (1-for-3, HR, 4 RBI)
 
GM1 BOX SCORE » #1 UNCG 4, #3 Chattanooga 3
Chattanooga built an early 1-0 lead behind starting pitcher Celie Hudson in the top of the second after back-to-back doubles brought in the game's first run.
 
Amanda Beltran laced the initial double off the right field wall ahead of Cameren Swafford, who ripped a two-bagger to straight away center field, putting UTC ahead 1-0.
 
Chattanooga threatened again in the top of the third when a fielding error and a pair of singles loaded the bases with one out. A fielder's choice at the plate and a swinging strikeout ended the Mocs rally attempt and left the game at 1-0.
 
Hudson cruised through the first three innings before stranding a pair of Spartan runners in the bottom of the fourth. She used a strikeout and a groundout to hold the one-run edge and leave the runners at bay.
 
UNCG's bottom of the fifth proved to be the difference in the ballgame. The Spartans scored four runs on five hits, highlighted by a three-run homer from Marissa Sholtes and a solo shot from Stephanie Bryden, in back-to-back fashion to take a 4-1 lead.
 
Alyssa Coppinger attempted to spark a UTC comeback effort in the top of the sixth after blasting her second homer of the season, a two-run shot to left, to pull the Mocs within one, 4-3.
 
Chattanooga couldn't find a rally in the final frame, pushing the championship round to the 'if necessary' game. Hudson (15-10) suffered the defeat after firing 6.0 innings, allowing four earned runs and one walk while striking out five.

Notable performances: Aly Walker (3-for-3), Alyssa Coppinger (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI), Cameren Swafford (1-for-3, 2B, RBI), Amanda Beltran (1-for-3, 2B, R)

UP NEXT
Chattanooga (37-15) awaits its destination in the 2019 NCAA Tournament with Selection Sunday taking place Sunday evening at 9 p.m. ET, televised LIVE on ESPN2.
 
The program and athletic department will host an official watch party at Jefferson's restaurant Sunday evening, open to the public, to find out the destination regional. (MORE DETAILS)

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