MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. ---
Presley Williamson belted her fourth home run of the weekend, this time a grand slam, to lead Chattanooga softball to an 8-7, extra inning win over LIU in the final game of the Make it Happen Games in Madeira Beach, Fla., Sunday morning.
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The Mocs took a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh, but saw that go away with a throwing error leading to the tying run in the bottom of the inning.
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Camryn Cernuto was placed at second to start the eighth. With one out, Cernuto advanced to third on a single to right field by
Olivia Lipari.
Baileigh Pitts was hit by the first pitch she faced to load the bases for Williamson who had tallied a home run in each of the first three games this weekend.
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With a 1-1 count, Williamson drilled her shot well over the fence in left field to clear the bases and put the Mocs up 8-4.
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That euphoric feeling did not last long, however. The Sharks bit back with back-to-back home runs to lead off the bottom of the eighth and cut the Mocs lead to one at 8-7.
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Peja Goold was inserted into the game and struck out the last three batters swinging to secure the Mocs win, improving to 18-8 overall.
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LIU scored the first two runs of the game on a homer to center field in the second. Chattanooga tied it up in the top of the third on a two-run single from
Jayce Purdy. With bases loaded, the catcher hit the ball down the left field line scoring Pitts and Lipari.
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The Mocs took their first lead of the game in the fourth. Purdy, again facing bases loaded, drew a walk to make it 3-2, UTC's first lead.
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LIU got a generous call by the officials, scoring from third on a foul out caught by Purdy along the third base line to once again tie the game.
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In the top of the seventh, Purdy led off with a double to center field and was advanced to third on a sac bunt by
Raven Jones.
Zoe Wright singled to left, driving in Purdy for the go ahead run.
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In the bottom of the inning, LIU added a fourth run. The Sharks led off with a double and the second batter reached on an error. The following batter was safe in her run to first on a high thrown ball, allowing the lead off to score and tie the game on what would have been the third out.
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Williamson went 1-for-3 in the game with four RBI and walked twice. Purdy was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and three runs batted in.
Zoe Wright was 3-for-3 and drove in one run.
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Cernuto, moved to lead off, went 2-for-4 with a stolen base a sacrifice bunt and scored two runs. Lipari went 2-for-4 with a sac bunt and scored twice.
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Taylor Long came on in the fourth and picked up her sixth win of the season, improving to 6-0. Goold entered in the eighth and struck out all three batters faced to get the save, her first of the year.
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Chattanooga returns to action Tuesday, March 18 at home to host Kennesaw State. Season and single-game are on sale at the McKenzie Arena box office or online at GoMocs.com. Tickets may be purchased at the Frost Stadium ticket booth one hour prior to first pitch.
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