CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga softball team struck out 11 and beat Jacksonville State (10-19) 3-1 in a midweek matchup Wednesday at Frost Stadium. The Mocs improve to 18-8 overall.
 
Taylor Long entered the game in the fourth and fanned nine batters. She did not give up a run and allowed two hits over 3 and 2/3 innings. The Mocs scored three runs on three singles and gave up a solo home run.
 
Chattanooga got the scoring started early with a run in the first. Kailey Snell dropped a hit into shallow left field to start the game and was sacrificed to second on a bunt from Camryn Cernuto. That set up a scorching shot up the middle by Olivia Lipari to score Snell from second and give the Mocs the early lead.
 
Chattanooga added a pair in the third on four hits in the inning. Lipari started things off with a single up the middle. Baileigh Pitts, starting in left field for the first time this season, singled over the shortstop into left field to put runners on first and second. Kendall Forsythe laid down a sac bunt,  and reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases as Lipari reached third easily.
 
Kaili Phillips singled to center field, sending Lipari home to make it a 2-0 game. Addy Keylon stepped up with one out and beat out the throw to first, scoring Forsythe for the Mocs third run.
 
Jacksonville State led off the top of the fourth with a solo shot over the right center field fence to take away the shutout, but it was all the Gamecocks would get.
 
Long struck out her first in the fourth, got three in the fifth, three more in the sixth and two in the seventh including the final out of the game.
 
Chattanooga struck out 11, nine by Long who picked up her ninth win of the season. The Mocs had 11 hits with Lipari and Pitts each 2-for-4. Lipari had an RBI. Phillips and Addy Keylon each went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Cernuto stole her team-leading ninth base.
 
Chattanooga hits the road for a three-game road series at Samford in Birmingham, Ala., to open Southern Conference play. The two will play a double header Saturday that will start at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time and a 2:00 p.m. start on Sunday as well. Follow all the action online at GoMocs.com. Links for live stats and streaming on ESPN+ are available on the softball schedule page.
 
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