GREENSBORO, N.C. --- The No. 3 seeded Chattanooga Mocs softball team was shutout in the opening round game against No. 2 Western Carolina, 5-0, before suffering a 6-2 loss to No. 4 Mercer in the following elimination game during the 2021 Southern Conference Tournament on Thursday afternoon in Greensboro, N.C.
 
Following the pair of defeats, Chattanooga's season concludes with a 13-25 overall record and will look towards the 2022 season. Western Carolina advances to face top seeded and tournament host UNCG in the winner's bracket semifinals while Mercer advancer's in the loser's bracket.
 
For the full SoCon Tournament bracket and championship information, please visit the conference's tournament central page HERE.

GAME #1 RECAP | BOX
Western Carolina 5, Chattanooga 0
The No. 2 seeded Catamounts jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the home half of the first when Kailey McNeil ripped a two-out, two-run homer to left after Bailey Honeycutt extended the inning with a hit-by-pitch.
 
After Chattanooga was retired in order over its first three trips to the plate, WCU added to its lead in the home half of the third with three, two-out runs to extend out to a 5-0 advantage. Hannah Wood took over for starter Brooke Parrott after 2.2 innings.
 
Cameren Swafford broke up the perfect game attempt from WCU starter Jayme Eilers with a one-out walk in the top of the fifth. Reagan Armour dropped in the first hit of the game for the Mocs two batters later, but both runners were left stranded to end the threat.
 
Wood excelled in the circle in her relief appearance, holding the Catamounts hitless during her 3.1 innings of work. The Chattanooga offense was held to just two hits for the game and were ultimately shutout, 5-0.
 
Parrott (6-8) suffered the loss in the circle after allowing five earned runs on four hits while striking out three. Courtney Ball doubled in the top of the sixth to record the Mocs' other hit opposite of Armour's single.

SCORING PLAYS
B1st: Kailey McNeil homered to left field, 2 RBI (2-2 KSBBF); Bailey Huneycutt scored. (WCU 2-0)
B3rd: Myra Twitty singled up the middle, 2 RBI (0-1 F); Kailey McNeil advanced to second; Bailey Huneycutt scored; Addie Pate scored. (WCU 4-0)
B3rd: Jeralynn Wells singled down the lf line, RBI (3-2 KKBBB); Myra Twitty advanced to second; Kailey McNeil scored. (WCU 5-0)
 
GAME #2 RECAP | BOX
Mercer 6, Chattanooga 2
Playing as the visiting team on the scoreboard, Mercer's Allie Jones ripped a two-out solo homerun down the right field line to give the Bears an early 1-0 lead. Chattanooga was held to just an Emily Coltharp leadoff single in the first over the opening two frames.
 
Mercer extended its lead to 2-0 in the top of the third with a one-out RBI ground out from Madison Headley. The Mocs responded in the home half, picking up consecutive SAC flies from Adison Keylon and Hayleigh Weissenbach to tie things up 2-2.
 
Liz Rodebaugh came within inches of blasting a go-ahead solo homer in the fourth but was left stranded at second after the one-out double. Starting pitcher Hannah Wood needed just 18 pitches to cruise through the fourth and fifth frames.
 
Chattanooga threatened with a rally in the bottom of the fifth after Coltharp and Courtney Ball recorded back-to-back singles with one out. Weissenbach reached on a fielding error a batter later but Coltharp was thrown out at the plate trying to plate the go-ahead run. The Mocs would strand the bases loaded and the game remained 2-2.
 
Mercer separated things in the top of the sixth with four runs (one earned) on just two hits and the help of two Chattanooga errors to build a sizable 6-2 lead. Brooke Parrott entered in relief of Wood and didn't allow a hit while striking out one to limit the damage.
 
The Mocs failed to spark a rally down the stretch and ultimately fell by the four-run count. Weissenbach recorded her 173^rd career hit in her final at-bat in a UTC uniform, completing her 210^th game played since 2017.
 
Wood (6-9) suffered the loss in the circle after tossing 5.0 innings while allowing four hits and six runs (three earned) while walking two. Coltharp finished with the lone multi-hit game after going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Ball (1-for-2) and Weissenbach (1-for-3) each recorded an RBI.

SCORING PLAYS
T1st: Allie Jones homered to right field, RBI (0-0). (MER 1-0)
T3rd: Madison Headley grounded out to 2b, RBI (1-2 KBFF); Atira McGowan scored. (MER 2-0)
B3rd: Courtney Ball flied out to lf, SF, RBI (2-1 BKB); Emily Coltharp advanced to third; Kailey Snell scored, unearned. (MER 2-1)
B3rd: Hayleigh Weissenbach flied out to lf, SF, RBI (1-2 BKF); Emily Coltharp scored, unearned. (Tied 2-2)
T6th: Allie Jones singled, advanced to second on an error by 2b (2-2 BFFB); Madison Headley scored, unearned. (MER 3-2)
T6th: Danielle Castleberry advanced to second on a wild pitch; Adele Braun advanced to third on a wild pitch; Allie Jones scored on a wild pitch. (MER 4-2)
T6th: Kylie Helm flied out to lf, SF, RBI (2-1 KBB); Danielle Castleberry advanced to third; Adele Braun scored, unearned. (MER 5-2)
T6th: Elisa Rosado grounded out to 2b, RBI (0-2 KFF); Danielle Castleberry scored, unearned. (MER 6-2)

UP NEXT
Chattanooga concludes its 2021 season with a 13-25 overall record and will next prepare for the fall training schedule and upcoming 2022 spring championship season.

FOLLOW CHATTANOOGA SOFTBALL
For the most up-to-date information and news regarding Chattanooga Softball, please follow @GoMocsSB on Twitter & Instagram and Chattanooga Softball on Facebook.