CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga softball team returns home Wednesday night to host non-conference foe Jacksonville State at Frost Stadium.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION
vs. Jacksonville State
Wednesday, April 2 | 5:00 p.m.
Chattanooga | Frost Stadium
Links for live stats and video streaming on ESPN+ are available online at GoMocs.com on the softball schedule page.
Tickets may be purchased online at GoMocs.com or one hour prior to first pitch at the Frost Stadium ticket booth.
 
MOCS vs. JACKSONVILLE STATE
Chattanooga leads the series 27-15. In Chattanooga, UTC leads the series 16-6.
 
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Mocs edged Jacksonville State 3-2 earlier this season on the road. Presley Williamson tied the game with a two-run shot over the fence in left center in the fourth. Jayce Purdy led off the fifth with the game winning solo home run on the first pitch she saw.
 
ABOUT CHATTANOOGA (24-9, 4-1 SoCon)
Chattanooga is hitting .298 as a team and has a 2.95 ERA. The Mocs have 79 multi-base hits with 47 doubles, eight triples and 24 home runs. Acelynn Sellers and Presley Williamson lead the team with seven round-trippers, Olivia Lipari has a team-best 10 doubles and Zoe Wright has three triples and is tied for the league-lead. Williamson has a team-high 26 runs batted in. Camryn Cernuto leads the team with a .394 batting average and is 13-for-13 on steals. Peja Goold is ranked sixth in the NCAA for shutouts, eighth for complete games, leads the SoCon with 126 strikeouts, 17^th in the NCAA. She has a SoCon-best 1.71 ERA, 31^st in the NCAA.
 
ABOUT JACKSONVILLE STATE (23-13, 6-6 CUSA)
The Gamecocks are 14-7 after falling to Chattanooga on Feb. 26 on their own home field. JSU is hitting .297 on the year and have a combined 2.10 ERA in the circle. Emma Elrod leads the team with a .402 batting average and a team-best nine home runs. Megan Nowakowski is hitting .340 with 24 RBI. Kailey Martin leads the team with nine home runs and 36 RBI. Kat Carter has a team-best 2.14 ERA and is 8-3 in 17 appearances. She has nine complete games, four shutouts and 31 strikeouts in 78-and-a-third innings pitched.
 
MOCS NEWS AND NOTES
HONORS AND AWARDS
TAYLOR LONG NAMED SOUTHERN CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
• [Mar. 31] Junior pitcher Taylor Long was named the SoCon Pitcher of the Week for all games played March 24-30. Long went 2-0 with a .000 ERA. She threw two complete game shutouts. Long led the Mocs in a 1-0 win on the road at Tennessee Tech, striking out eight batters in the one-hitter. The lone hit was a single up the middle to lead off the fifth inning. In the Mocs second game at Mercer on Saturday, Long struck out 11, one shy of her season-high and two behind her career-best. She allowed three hits in the 6-0 win.
 
WILLIAMSON, GOOLD SWEEP TSWA WEEKLY AWARDS
• [Mar. 12] Junior pitcher Peja Goold appeared in four games with two complete games in both starts. She threw a one-hitter against Siena, then picked up her first save of the season against LIU, striking out all three on swinging strikeouts. She struck out 16 in all over the weekend.
• [Mar. 12] Senior Presley Williamson drove in 14 runs on six hits with a double and four home runs for the week, including a game-winning grand slam against Long Island in an eight-inning 8-7 victory. She had a home run in four of the five games this past weekend at the Make it Happen Games and a two-run double against Georgia State. Williamson drove in two with a bases-loaded single and a two-run round-tripper against Siena, had a first-inning blast against Niagara, then hit a solo homer in the second game against Siena.
 
PEJA GOOLD NAMED SOUTHERN CONFERENCE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
• [Mar. 10] Junior pitcher Peja Goold made two starts with four appearances last week. She went 2-0 with her first save of the season last week and pitched two complete games. The Stockton, Calif., native recorded a 0.93 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 15 innings. Against Siena on Friday, Goold threw a one-hitter and struck out eight. She followed that with her second complete game of the week, getting the win against Central Michigan on Saturday. She struck out five and allowed one earned run in the win while recording five putouts. She threw two innings at Georgia State it the Mocs six-inning 9-1 win last Tuesday in Atlanta. Goold faced the final three batters against LIU, striking out all three, to get her first save in an 8-7 eight-inning game.
 
PEJA GOOLD NAMED TN SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION (TSWA) PITCHER OF THE WEEK
• [Mar. 4] Junior pitcher Peja Goold dominated the field last week going 4-0 in four appearances with three starts. She pitched three complete games, recorded two shutouts and threw a career-high 14 strikeouts against Stony Brook. She struck out 39 batters on the week in 23 innings pitched and tallied a 0.61 ERA. At Jacksonville State, Goold went the distance, striking out eight in a 3-2 win. Goold came on in relief against IU Indy, pitching the final two innings and striking out five of the eight batters she faced. The game was tied when she entered and the Mocs added a run in the top of the seventh for her second win of the week. Goold started the game second game Friday against Stony Brook. She recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts against the Seawolves and picked up the first of two shutouts. She closed out the tournament against the host Runnin' Bulldogs, struck out 12 and allowed just one hit and notched a second shutout.
 
ACELYNN SELLERS NAMED SOUTHERN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
• [Feb. 10] Senior Acelynn Sellers went 8-for-15 (.533) over the weekend with four home runs, a double and drove in eight runs. In the opener against Fairleigh Dickinson, she went 2-for-3 with a double, home run and one RBI and scored two runs in the run-rule victory. In the nightcap against host Stetson on Saturday, Sellers went 4-for-4 with three home runs including a three-run shot in the sixth inning. That tied UTC single-game mark set by two other UTC players. The last to hit three in a game was Regan Armour in the 2022 SoCon Championship game at UNCG against the Spartans. Sellers drove in six runs in the game and set a new Mocs program record for total bases in a single game with 13.
 
PRESEASON AWARDS
SOFTBALL PICKED TO WIN; GOOLD NAMED PRESEASON PITCHER OF THE YEAR
The Chattanooga Mocs softball team is picked to defend its 2024 regular season title in the 2025 Southern Conference Preseason Poll, the league office announced today. Junior pitcher Peja Goold is the SoCon coaches' pick for Preseason Pitcher of the Year and is joined by four on the preseason teams. She is joined on the first team by teammate, senior outfielder Camryn Cernuto. On the second team, UTC placed infielders Olivia Lipari and Kailey Snell along with outfielder Baileigh Pitts.
 
TEAM NEWS
MOCS RANKED IN THE NCAA STANDINGS
• Batting Average: 98 [.297]
• Doubles: 79 [47]
• Doubles Per Game: 87 [1.42]
• Earned Run Average: 53 [2.95]
• Fielding Percentage: 53 [.975]
• Hit Batters: 21 [9]
• Hits: 100 [258]
• On Base Percentage: 68 [.395]
• Shutouts: 37 [7]
• Slugging Percentage: 94 [.452]
• Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio: 68 [1.98]
• Team Strikeouts Per Seven Innings: 10 [7.60]
• Total Sacrifice Bunts: 10 [32]
• Triples: 67 [8]
• Triples Per Game: 76 [0.24]
• WHIP: 61 [1.36]
• WL Percentage: 35 [.727]
• Walks: 38 [129]
 
MOCS CLAIM FOUR WINS AT THE MAKE IT HAPPEN GAMES
The Mocs beat Siena in the opening game Friday and made quick work of Niagara in the second in a run rule victory. The Mocs hit .386 with 17 hits in 44 at bats with two home runs, five doubles, 21 RBI and 15 bases on balls. In the circle, UTC allowed two earned runs on two hits with 18 strikeouts, eight walks and threw two complete games to run the win streak to 14 games. On Saturday, UTC split, falling to Siena in the opener with a run in the sixth to take the lead. Against Central Michigan, UTC put up three runs in the first behind a three-run blast from Baileigh Pitts who got the start at first. Sunday's thriller was decided in the top of the eighth on a grand slam from Presley Williamson. LIU scored three runs in the bottom of the inning on a pair of home runs before Peja Goold entered to shut down the threat.
 
14-GAME WIN STREAK TIES FOR PROGRAM'S FIFTH LONGEST
The Mocs won the first two games of the "Make it Happen Games" in Maderia Beach, Fla. (3/7-10) to run its win streak to 14 games, tied for fifth longest in program history. UTC recorded two 17-game win streaks, the first in 2001 and the second in 2004.
 
MOCS SWEEP GARDNER-WEBB "SPRING IN THE SPRINGS"
Chattanooga went 5-0 to grab its second tournament title of the season beating IU Indy, Stony Brook and host Gardner-Webb. The Mocs came from behind on a pair of doubles from Presley Williamson and two RBI from Jayce Purdy against IU Indy for the late-inning win. Peja Goold struck out a career-high 14 against Stony Brook in the second game for a 7-0 win. She gave up just one hit in the shutout. On Saturday, the Mocs claimed a pair of dramatic wins over Stony Brook and Gardner-Webb. In the opener, the Mocs, trailing 4-1, put up a five-spot in the fifth and claimed a 7-1 win over the Seawolves. Againt the host Runnin' Bulldogs in the second game Saturday, GWU scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and force extra innings. UTC then put up five runs in the top of the ninth and blanked the Bulldogs in the bottom of the inning for the win. On Sunday, the Mocs scored four runs in the top of the seventh for a 6-0 shutout of the host to sweep the tournament.
 
MOCS SWEEP WEATHER-SHORTENED FROST CLASSIC
The Mocs went 4-0 in a weather-shortened Frost Classic to claim the title. UTC beat Lamar and Illinois State on Saturday behind a 4-for-6 performance from senior Acelynn Sellers who had two home runs, a double and six RBI. On Sunday, the Mocs swept IU Indy and SEMO with four home runs, two from Olivia Lipari who drove in three runs. Acelynn Sellers and Abi Bunt each had a home run and two RBIs.
 
MOCS 4-0 IN EXTRA INNING GAMES
When headed to extra innings, the Mocs are 4-0 on the year. UTC put up five runs in the top of the ninth to beat Gardner-Webb (3/1). The Mocs claimed a dramatic win over LIU in eight innings with a grand slam (3/9). Nine days later at home against Kennesaw State it was a wild finish in the eighth. Abby Orr, running for Presley Williamson, raced home on a wild pitch to win the game. On the SoCon opening day, the Mocs battled UNCG in nine innings in the second of a two-game sweep of the Spartans. On a pinch hit single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh, the Mocs tied the game, forcing extras. In the bottom of the ninth, the UTC scored two runs on a single to left center to claim the win.
 
SOFTBALL HOLDS 5-1 RECORD IN RUN-RULE VICTORIES
• In the opening game of the season, the Mocs claimed an 8-0 win over FDU in six innings. A home run, two doubles and single plated seven runs. However, a wild pitch on an intentional walk drove in the game winner.
• Against Binghamton the Mocs fell 9-1.
• Chattanooga's run-rule win was at Georgia State in six innings. UTC scored five in the second and added four more in the sixth for the win.
• UTC won in five innings each on the opening day at the "Make it Happen Games" in Florida beating Siena and Niagara.
• The Mocs scored 14 runs on eight hits against Niagara and allowed just one hit and one run.
• UTC opened SoCon play with a 9-1 win over UNCG. The Mocs recorded eight hits in the opening game that included a home run, two triples and three doubles.
 
OPEN SOCON PLAY WITH 2-1 SERIES WIN OVER UNCG
The Mocs swept UNC Greensboro on the opening day with a 9-1, five-inning run-rule victory in the opener and a 3-2 extra inning victory in the second. The Mocs got down early, but pulled to within two runs in the fifth. However, UNCG plated six runs in the top of the seventh to get the 14-6 victory in the opening series.
 
INDIVIDUAL NEWS
MOCS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
• Peja Goold ranks sixth for shutouts (5), eighth in the NCAA rankings for complete games (12), 11th for hits allowed per seven innings, 17th for strikeouts (126), 17th for victories (13) and 31st for a 1.71 ERA.
• Doubles: Olivia Lipari leads the Mocs with 10 doubles his season and is ranked 73rd in the NCAA rankings.
• Sacrifice Bunts: Kailey Snell is ranked 13th in the NCAA with 0.27 per game and Camryn Cernuto is 27th with 0.24 per game.
• Sacrifice Flies: Olivia Lipari ranks 51st in the NCAA with three on the year.
• Toughest to Strike Out: Kailey Snell ranks 58th in the NCAA. She registers a strikeout once every 25 at bats.
 
MOCS PITCHING THROWS ONE-HITTERS
• Peja Goold has thrown four one-hit games this season. She picked up a 9-1 six-inning victory with just one hit against FDU in the opener. Her next was a 6-0 win over Gardner-Webb. The Runnin' Bulldogs picked up a hit in the fourth. In UTC's win over Siena, the Saints recorded a hit in the final inning of a five-inning game. Her fourth was a 1-0, eight-inning win over Kennesaw State. The Owls lone hit came in the seventh.
• Taylor Long has two. She struck out 10 in a five-inning win over Niagara. The Purple Eagles one hit came in the second inning. Her second was on the road against Tennessee Tech on a single up the middle in the fourth.
 
WILLIAMSON BELTS GAME-WINNING GRAND SLAM IN EXTRAS
Presley Williamson was the hero in the Mocs final game of the "Make it Happen Games" at Madeira Beach, Fla. A throwing error in the bottom of the seventh allowed the tying run by LIU forcing extra innings. International tie-break rules placed Cam Cernuto at second to start the eighth. With one out, Olivia Lipari singled to right to put runners on the corners. Baileigh Pitts took first on a hit by pitch to load the bases for Williamson who had already hit three home runs on the weekend. She took a 1-1 count over the fence in left to plate four runs and double the Mocs lead to 8-4. LIU hit a pair of home runs, a two-run and a solo shot, in the bottom to pull to within one, but UTC grabbed the win.
 
PEJA GOOLD RECORDS CAREER-HIGH 14 STRIKEOUTS
Junior pitcher Peja Goold struck out a career-high 14 batters two days before fanning 12 more. On Feb. 28 against Stony Brook in the Spring in the Springs games hosted by Gardner-Webb, Goold struck out a career-high 14 batters. She struck out two batters in five different innings and all three in the sixth. She closed out the game fanning the final batter. She sat down 12 batters against the host Runnin' Bulldogs, allowed just one hit and walked two. Goold also had double-digit strikeouts in the season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson in the Stetson Tournament.
 
SELLERS BELTS OUT THREE HOME RUNS, SETS TOTAL BASES RECORD
Against host Stetson on Feb. 9 in DeLand, Fla., Acelynn Sellers went 4-for-4 with three home runs including a three-run shot in the sixth inning. That tied UTC single-game mark set by two other UTC players. The last to hit three in a game was Regan Armour in the 2022 SoCon Championship game at UNCG against the Spartans. Sellers drove in six runs in the game and set a new Mocs program record for total bases in a single game with 13.
 
FOLLOW CHATTANOOGA SOFTBALL
For the most up-to-date information and news regarding Chattanooga Softball, please follow @GoMocsSB on Twitter & Instagram and ChattanoogaSB on Facebook.