CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. --- The Chattanooga softball team completed the series sweep of Samford Sunday afternoon at Frost Stadium with a 5-1 win, extending its Southern Conference lead to a game-and-a-half over UNCG and two-and-a-half over the Bulldogs.
 
The Mocs tallied eight hits including two home runs. Peja Goold's no-hit bid was broken up with two hits in the sixth. She improved to 21-5 on the year and struck out nine, walking just one.
 
Baileigh Pitts led off the fourth with her third home run of the season to make it a 1-0 game for the Mocs.
 
With two outs in the fifth and two runners on, Camryn Cernuto singled to load the bases. A wild pitch sent Lexi Cooley home to make it a 2-0 Mocs advantage and advanced the runners.
 
Olivia Lipari, at the plate for the wild pitch, cleared the bags with a three-run shot to left center, putting Chattanooga up 5-0. It was her seventh home run of the season, second most for the Mocs, and she now leads UTC with 37 runs batted in.
 
Back-to-back singles by Samford in the top of the sixth broke up the no-hit bid going for Goold. It would be the Bulldogs only two hits of the game. However, Samford scored on a sac fly to take away the shutout as well.
 
Samford's lead off batter grounded out to start the seventh and Goold struck out a pair of pinch hitters to clinch the win.
 
Lipari was 2-for-3 at the plate and led the Mocs with three RBI and a run scored. Pitts went 1-for-2 with an RBI and five more Chattanooga batters notched a hit in the win.
 
The Mocs are 36-12 overall and 13-4 in league play. UNCG fell at Mercer earlier Sunday and drops to 12-6 while Samford moves to a tie with Wofford for third at 11-7.
 
Chattanooga closes out the home slate Wednesday evening against Tennessee Tech. UTC beat the Golden Eagles earlier this season 1-0 in Cookeville. The Mocs will finish the regular season on the road with a three-game road stint at East Tennessee State beginning late Saturday evening and concluding with a double header Sunday.
 
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