The UTC Lady Mocs softball team (3-5) claimed back-to-back wins Saturday night in Auburn, Ala. at the Auburn University Tiger Invitational with a 9-2 win over Indiana State and a 9-1 victory over the Tennessee State Tigers.
Senior Kasey Tydingco (Fairfield, Calif.) was dominant at the plate in both games, going a combined 5-for-6 with four RBI and two runs scored. Along with Tydingco, five more Lady Mocs registered multiple hits, including Sara Poteat (Thomaston, Ga.), Sarah Beth Roberts (Mt.
Juliet, Tenn.) and Tyler Temple (Woodstock, Ga.) with three each.
Starter Kaisey Carson (Indianapolis, Ind.) dealt her first collegiate win and Chattanooga's first complete game of the season against ISU. The freshman allowed just four hits, while sophomore Taylor Deason (Clarksville, Tenn.) and freshman Rachel Albritton (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) combined to one-hit Tennessee State in the second game.
Chattanooga 9 - Indiana State 2
Chattanooga attacked the ball early in the first inning with four hits and four runs to jump out to a 4-0 lead on the Sycamores. Senior Poteat led things off after being hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position as freshman Sam Taylorr (Chickamauga, Ga.) grounded out. Anyssa Robles doubled to center field in the next at-bat to put the Lady Mocs on the board. Tydingco followed up with an RBI single to drive in the freshman catcher. A Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.) single to center put runners on first and second, and Carson reached on an error to drive in another run. The Lady Mocs wrapped up the scoring in the first inning with Templet singling in a runner.
While both team were scoreless through the second and third innings, Indiana State got on the board in the top of the fourth with two runs. Giving up three of just four hits for the entire game in that innings, Carson ran into her only bump in the road. A sacrifice fly and RBI single from Indiana State right fielder Halee Myers and left fielder Megan Bunting, respectively, cut the UTC lead to 4-2.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Chattanooga bats came alive again in the sixth with a five-run inning. Carson began the inning with a walk and Templet reached on another ISU error. A sacrifice bunt from Alyssa Taylor (Orange, Calif.) moved runners up a base and Poteat singled to right to drive in both runners. Pinch hitting for Sam Taylor, Amanda Ross (Torrance, Calif.) walked to put two on. Sophomore Roberts singled to second base to plate Poteat and another Tydingco hit brought Roberts and Ross around to score.
Carson went the distance with seven innings pitched, allowing only four hits and two runs. The freshman stayed ahead of Sycamore batters, walking none and striking out two. Carson faced just 26 batters.
On offense -along with Tydingco's 4-for-4 performance- Poteat, Robles, Roberts, Rieck, Templet, Carson and both Taylor each recorded hits. Tydingco accounted for three runs while Poteat drove in two. Robles, Roberts and Templet each batted in a runner.
Chattanooga -- - Tennessee State --
The Lady Mocs fell behind 1-0 in the first inning after Tennessee State was able to capitalize on a couple of walks issued by starting pitcher Rachel Albritton (Murfreesboro, Tenn.). Despite striking out TSU's Audrey Sensing, the final strike bounced away from Robles and required the catcher to throw to first for the out. While Sensing was out at first, Kiarra Freeman took advantage of the throw and scored on the play.
Chattanooga struck back in the bottom half of the inning, driving in six runs on six hits. The first six batters in the lineup reached by either hit or walk. Poteat reached on a bunt and Sam Taylor singled through the left side to put two runners on. Robles walked to load the bases and Roberts drove in the first Chattanooga run on a single to left. Tydingco and Rieck followed up with back-to-back hits to drive in one runner each. Templet later singled in another run before Poteat reached on an error to score another run.
The Lady Mocs added on three more runs in the fourth inning as Poteat tripled with one out. With Jenny Garcia (Miami, Fla.) entering to pinch hit for Sam Taylor, the redshirt freshman hammered a near-homerun off of the left field fence. Garcia pulled into second with a double and Poteat scored on the hit. Robles walked in the next at-bat and Roberts singled to drive in Garcia. Rieck then reached on a fielder's choice, and a fielding error committed by the left fielder allowed Robles to score.
Up 9-1 in the fifth, Chattanooga shut the Tigers out in the top of the fifth inning to end the game. The only TSU hit came in the fifth when Kacie Daugherty singled to the shortstop.
The win is Deason's second of the season as she improves to 2-3, leading Chattanooga pitchers in wins.
Chattanooga wraps up the Tiger Invitational Sunday at 3 p.m. as it takes on the hosting Auburn Tigers. The Lady Mocs return to Chattanooga next weekend to host the Frost Classic Inspired by Memorial. Live stats and audio are available free and begin 10 minutes before the first pitch.