BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- The Mocs wasted no time getting on the board, plating three runs in the opening stanza to beat Samford 8-3 in Southern Conference action Sunday afternoon.
 
Chattanooga improves to 21-8 overall and 3-0 in Southern Conference action. Samford drops to 6-23 on the year and 0-3 against the league.
 
Kailey Snell dropped a single into shallow center to get the game started and took second on a sac bunt by Camryn Cernuto. She scored on an Olivia Lipari single up the middle. Lipari took second on the throw to home and scored on a single by Baileigh Pitts up the middle on the next at bat. Kaili Phillips tripled to right field sending Pitts home to give Chattanooga a 3-0 lead in the first.0
 
The lead grew to 5-0 in the third. Pitts reached on a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Kendall Forsythe doubled to center field, scoring Pitts from second. Phillips walked and Jayce Purdy singled to load the bases. Addy Keylon reached on a fielding error, scoring Zoe Wright, running for Forsythe, for the Mocs fifth run of the game.
 
Samford cut into the Mocs lead in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double to make it 5-1.
 
Chattanooga picked up another run in the fourth, scoring Cernuto from third on a wild pitch. Samford added a pair in the bottom of the inning. A single drove in a run and the Bulldogs' third run of the game scored on an error on the same play.
 
In the sixth, the Mocs stretched the lead to 8-3 with two runs on three hits. Forsythe singled to send Lipari home. Abby Orr, running for Pitts, scored on a wild pitch for the Mocs final run of the game.
 
Pitts was 3-for-3 with an RBI, two runs and a walk. Forsythe was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.  Addy Keylon and Jayce Purdy each had two hits and Lipari and Phillips each had an RBI. The Mocs had a pair of doubles and a triple.
 
Peja Goold got the start and struck out four through three innings. She allowed one run on four hits and didn't give up a walk. Taylor Long struck out two in two innings and Alyssa Lavdis got the win (5-2) pitching the final two innings and not allowing a hit or run.
 
The Mocs return home to host ETSU Friday in a double header and a single game Saturday. Games start at 1:00 p.m. both days.
 
Tickets are on sale online at GoMocs.com or at the Frost Stadium ticket booth one hour prior to the start of the game. Follow all the action online at GoMocs.com. Links for streaming video on ESPN+ and live stats are available on the softball schedule page.
 
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