CHATTANOOGA --- Coming off its fourth Southern Conference series victory of the season, the Chattanooga Mocs softball team returns home to Jim Frost Stadium to host the first-place Samford Bulldogs on Saturday and Sunday in the final weekend of regular season play.
 
Chattanooga (31-13, 9-6 SoCon) still carries an outside chance at claiming its 15^th SoCon regular season title in program history this weekend. Samford (21-27, 10-4 SoCon) enters the weekend atop the league standings and has its sights set toward clinching its second title in the last four seasons.
 
Following Friday's results around the league, UTC's scenario of clinching the title consists of a three-game series sweep and a UNCG loss on Saturday afternoon. UNCG and ETSU split a Friday doubleheader which allows UTC to remain in the mix. 
 
All series information including game times, coverage links, notes and more is below.  

GAME TIMES & COVERAGE
» Saturday, May 4^th – 7:00 p.m.
    » WATCH (GM 1 - ESPN+)
    » LIVE STATS
» Sunday, May 5^th (DH) – Noon
    » WATCH (GM2 – ESPN+)
    » LIVE STATS
    » WATCH (GM3 – ESPN+)
    » LIVE STATS

PROMOTIONS & TICKETS
» Saturday 7pm - Senior Night & FREE Tervis (Tumbler) Giveaway to first 100 fans!
    » BUY TICKETS
» Sunday (DH) Noon - Alumni Day, Salute to Service, Sunday Funday & $1 Hot Dogs!
    » BUY TICKETS  

RECORDS
» Chattanooga: 31-13, 9-6 SoCon (3^rd)
» Samford: 21-27, 10-4 SoCon (T1^st)

SERIES HISTORY | NOTES
» Chattanooga leads the all-time series 40-17 (.702)
    » 19-13 (.594) since 2002 (Reed era)
» Samford has won seven of last 10 meetings
» UTC defeated SAM, 3-1, in last meeting (SoCon Tournament – 5/9/18)

CHATTANOOGA NOTABLES | NOTES
» Chattanooga improved to 31-13 overall & 9-6 in the SoCon after taking two of three at ETSU last weekend… 30+ wins in a season for the 15^th time since 2002… .705% WL percentage ranks 3^rd among all Tennessee schools in NCAA DI (UT & Lipscomb).
» UTC trails UNCG & Samford (10-4) in the SoCon regular season standings… can claim program's 15^th regular season title with sweep over Samford in addition to UNCG dropping two of three against ETSU.
» Pitching staff leads the league & ranks 29^th in NCAA DI this season with 2.23 staff ERA… allowed three earned runs or less in 14 of last 16 games… eight games with one run or less… four shutouts… Allison Swinford (1.58), Celie Hudson (2.09) & Mariah Ramirez (2.59) rank 1-2-3 in the SoCon this season in ERA.
» Celie Hudson earned her second-straight & third SoCon Pitcher of the Week honor this season on Monday… Hudson went 2-0 with two CG victories at ETSU… allowed just one earned run in 13.0IP… had 30.0 scoreless inning streak snapped during Sunday's 8-1 win… totaled three-straight CG shutouts after Saturday's 9-0 win… first UTC pitcher to accomplish the feat since 2010 (Brook Loudermilk).

SAMFORD BULLDOG (21-27, 10-4 SoCon) | STATS
Notable players: Whitney Hinton, Jr.-INF (.317/13HR/40RBI), Madison Couch, Sr.-UTL (.319/6HR/25RBI), Hannah Trombley, Sr-C (.264/5HR/25RBI), Taylor DeCelles, Jr.-P (7-10/4.20ERA/108.1IP)

Samford enters the weekend with a 21-27 overall mark and a 10-4 record in Southern Conference play, tying with UNCG atop the league standings. The Bulldogs have won six of its last seven conference games including a stretch of five-straight over Western Carolina (2x) and ETSU (3x).
 
Senior Whitney Hinton has provided the spark for the Samford squad during conference play. Hinton is batting .378 (17-for-45) with nine homeruns and 21 RBI while slugging at a 1.022 clip in SoCon games this season. Junior Maddie Dorsett follows with a .375 (18-for-48) average and 14 runs scored in league games only.
 
In the circle, the Bulldogs carry a staff ERA of 4.91 for the season while holding a 3.84 ERA in conference. Junior Taylor DeCelles has tossed a team-high 108.1 innings this season and has pitched to a 7-10 record with a 4.20 earned run average. Sophomore McKenna Gillespie is 5-3 with a 5.31 ERA in 54.0 innings on the year.

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