CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga softball team mounted a thrilling sweep to claim its 16^th Southern Conference Tournament title, beating UNC Greensboro twice Saturday in the championship.
 
The public is invited to join the team as the Mocs learn their fate in the NCAA Championship. The show airs at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN2. The doors open to family, friends and fans at 6:30 p.m. Complimentary parking is available in the VIP Lot of Finley Stadium. Enter through the South Gate.
 
Light appetizers are available as long as they last and a cash bar for all drinks will be open.
 
• Selection Show Party at the Ultra Club at Finley Stadium.
• Doors open at 6:30 p.m. to the public. Enter through the South Gate.
• Selection Show begins at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN2.
• Complimentary parking in Finley Stadium's VIP Lot.
 
CHATTANOOGA CLAIMS TITLE WITH SATURDAY SWEEP
The top-seeded Mocs fell to No. 2 UNCG Friday morning then eliminated No. 3 Samford in the consolation bracket final. That pitted the top two seeds for the title. The Spartans needed just one win, but the Mocs would have to win twice in the double-elimination tournament.
 
The first game was scoreless through four-and-a-half innings before pinch hitter Anna Dovey broke the game open with a three-run home run. Kaili Phillips added two more runs on a double. Peja Goold picked up the win with six strikeouts, earning a complete game shutout.
 
That win forced a second where UTC beat the Spartans 9-5. UNCG scored a run in the first and UTC answered with two in the second and third to get out front 4-1. That wouldn't be enough, however. UNCG cut the Mocs lead to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. UTC responded once again with back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth and three runs on two hits in the sixth. UNCG added two runs in the fourth and were threatening but Goold stranded the final two runners with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.
 
Goold was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player. She was joined on the all-tournament team by Kaili Phillips and Kendall Forsythe. Phillips earned the Pinnacle Award as the student-athlete on the winning team with the highest GPA.
 
HOW THE CHAMPIONSHIP WORKS: 
• Regionals — at 16 sites — are double-elimination and scheduled for May 16/17-19.
• The 16 winners advance to super regionals and play a two-team, best-out-of-three series either May 23-25 or May 24-26.
• The eight winners earn spots in the 2024 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
• The WCWS begins May 30 in double-elimination format.
• The final two teams play a best-of-three series for the national championship beginning June 5.