CULLOWHEE, N.C. --- The Chattanooga Mocs softball team claimed at least a share of the 2024 Southern Conference regular season title Friday. It is Chattanooga's 15^th since the program was founded in 1994.
 
The Mocs are 13-5 and first in the SoCon standings. UNCG was one game behind at the start of the day but was swept by Wofford to fall to 12-8 overall. Mercer and Samford are both tied at 10-8 and will face off in a three-game series this weekend.
 
Chattanooga closes out the 2024 regular season this weekend at Western Carolina. The Mocs and Catamounts will play a doubleheader Saturday and the finale on Sunday. Saturday's games start at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday's first pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION
Mocs at Western Carolina
Site: Cullowhee, N.C.
Saturday, May 4
Time: 3:00 p.m. (doubleheader)
Sunday, May 5
Time: 1:00 p.m.
 
LIVE STREAMING AND LIVE STATS
Available online at GoMocs.com on the softball schedule page
 
ABOUT CHATTANOOGA (35-13, 13-5 SoCon)
The Mocs have three series sweeps this season, beating Samford, ETSU and Furman in all three games. Chattanooga leads the SoCon with a .304 batting average with six above the .300 mark. UTC's pitching staff features the league's top ERA at 2.85 and a SoCon-best 11 shutouts.
 
Camryn Cernuto leads the Mocs with a .378 batting average and has a SoCon-leading 17 sacrifice hits. She is 16-for-20 on stolen bases and started all 48 games in center field. Kaili Phillips is batting .339 with a 1.295 OPS, league-leading .805 slugging percentage and is third with a .490 on base percentage. She leads Chattanooga with 14 home runs and 35 RBI. Olivia Lipari is batting .343 on the year with seven home runs, 38 RBI and leads UTC with 29 walks.
 
Taylor Long has a SoCon-best 2.13 ERA with 105 strikeouts and 12 wins. She's thrown five complete games this season, has two shutouts and combined on two more. Alyssa Lavdis has a 2.91 ERA with 10 wins, three saves and six complete games.
 
ABOUT WESTERN CAROLINA (16-30, 7-11 SoCon)
The Catamounts took two out of three games from Samford last weekend and are sixth in the SoCon standings. WCU is batting .277 and has 89 extra base hits including 35 home runs. The Cats pitching staff has a 4.05 ERA and 226 combined strikeouts.
 
Lily Bell leads the team with a .373 ERA while Jeralynn Wells and Savannah Baldwin each have a team-best seven home runs. Tessa Juett has a .338 batting average and leads the team with a 3.27 ERA. She has a SoCon-best 145 strikeouts with 13 wins, three shutouts and 15 complete games.
 
CHATTANOOGA vs. WESTERN CAROLINA
The Mocs and Catamounts in 2006 in softball competition. UTC holds a 47-9 lead on Western Carolina. Chattanooga is 19-2 on the road against the Cats.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
Last year in Chattanooga, the Mocs won two of three games against Western Carolina. The teams split on Saturday and the Mocs won the series on Sunday.
 
PHILLIPS, GOOLD SWEEP APRIL SOCON AWARDS
PLAYER
Kaili Phillips, Chattanooga, Gr., INF, Harrison Tenn.

• Batted .351 with six home runs, five doubles, four walks, 12 RBIs and 10 runs scored during April, leading the Mocs to a 11-5 record
• Finished the month with a .478 on-base percentage and a .973 slugging percentage
• Had two solo home runs against Furman on April 27 in a 3-0 victory for Chattanooga
• Named SoCon Player of the Week on April 29
• Currently leads the SoCon in slugging percentage (.805)

Others nominated:  Emma Dorval (Mercer), Maycin Brown (UNCG), Logan Champion (Samford), and Lily Bell (Western Carolina)

PITCHER
Peja Goold, Chattanooga, So., Stockton, Calif.

• Had a 1.50 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings of work, allowing just three extra-base hits during the month
• Logged fours wins and two saves, including two complete games and one combined shutout, in April
• On April 20 during a doubleheader against Mercer, she logged a save in game one and tossed a complete game with a season-high nine strikeouts in game two
• Recorded a complete game with eight strikeouts in a 6-1 win over Furman on April 27
• Currently in the top 10 of the SoCon in five pitching categories

Others nominated: Grace Taylor (Mercer), McKenzie Newcomb (Samford), Tessa Juett (Western Carolina) and Maragaret Axelson (Wofford)