GREENSBORO, N.C. – The third-seeded Chattanooga Mocs' softball team defeated the top-seeded UNCG Spartans 10-2 in five innings on Friday morning in the semifinals of the Southern Conference Championship.
The Mocs advance to the championship game and will face either No. 2 Samford or No. 1 UNCG at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.
Chattanooga improved to 28-25 and won its sixth-straight game. UNCG dropped to 38-17 overall.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Like they did yesterday, Chattanooga put the first two batters on to start the game. After loading the bases, the SoCon Pitcher of the Year, Morgan Scott got out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout.
In the second, UNCG got out to the first lead of the game with a Delaney Cumbie solo blast.
UNCG brought a new pitcher into the game in the third and the Mocs loaded the bases for the second time in the contest.
Kaili Phillips came through and belted her third grand slam of the season off the scoreboard, giving UTC a 4-0 lead. The Mocs loaded the bases again later in the inning and
Emily Coltharp drove Chattanooga's fifth run of the game on an infield single to short.
In the fourth frame, UNCG loaded the bases and
Izzy Alley entered the circle. The freshman hurler got two groundouts and a strikeout to end the inning and hold the hosts scoreless in the frame.
The Chattanooga bats lit up again in the fifth. The run production began with a
Reagan Armour single to left, plating
Kailey Snell and Coltharp. With runners on second and third, Phillips came through again, singling through the left side, scoring
Skylar Berkhiser to give the Mocs an 8-1 lead. The two-out rally continued a few pitches later.
Liz Rodebaugh hit her first triple of the season in one of the biggest moments, sending the ball past a diving left fielder and plating two more runs.
The Mocs entered the bottom of the fifth up 10-1. On the third pitch of the half inning, Cumbie homered again, bringing UNCG within eight. Alley limited any other damage, ending the contest with a groundout to third to send the squad to the championship game.
Brooke Parrott started the game and picked up her third win in as many days. She pitched three innings and allowed one run on two hits with one strikeout and five walks. In relief, Alley threw the final two innings. She gave up one run on one hit with a walk and a strikeout.
Scott started the game for UNCG and threw two innings, allowing no runs on one hit with four strikeouts and a walk. Reese Byrd got the loss, Allowing eight runs on six hits and four walks in 2.1 innings of relief.
Coltharp, Sellers and Phillips all went 2-for-2 at the plate. Phillips drove in five runs for the second time this season.
UTC 10, UNCG 2 | BOX
SCORING PLAYS
B1st: Delaney Cumbie homered to center, RBI (UNCG 1-0).
T2nd: Kaili Phillips homered to right center, 4 RBI;
Emily Coltharp,
Reagan Armour,
Acelynn Sellers scored (UTC 4-1).
T2nd: Emily Coltharp singled to shortstop, RBI;
Presley Williamson scored (UTC 5-1).
T5th: Reagan Armour singled down the left field line, 2 RBI;
Kailey Snell and
Emily Coltharp scored (UTC 7-1).
T5th: Kaili Phillips singled through the left side, RBI;
Skylar Berkhiser scored (UTC 8-1).
T5th: Liz Rodebaugh tripled down the left field line, 2 RBI;
Kaili Phillips and
Acelynn Sellers scored (UTC 10-1).
B5th: Delaney Cumbie homered to right center, RBI (UTC 10-2).
WP: Brooke Parrott (14-7)
LP: Reese Byrd (11-5)
Notable:
- The Mocs handed the Spartans their first run-rule loss of the season.
- Phillips' homer in the second was the 50th of the season for Chattanooga and the fifth grand slam of the campaign. Three of the Mocs' five grand slams have come with two outs.
- Chattanooga will play in its 16th SoCon Championship game and 13th under Head Coach Frank Reed.
- The run-rule win in the tournament was the first for the Mocs since they defeated UNCG in the 2019 championship game 10-1 in five innings.
- Snell registered her third sacrifice bunt of the tournament. She entered the week with six throughout the season.
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