Mocs Softball Team Wins Two

  • Saturday, February 21, 2015
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Softball team swept Ball State and No. 22 in back-to-back victories on Friday night.

The Mocs (8-4) dominated the Cardinals, 6-2 before outplaying the nationally ranked Jaguars, 3-1.

UTC’s win over South Alabama ended the Jaguars seven-winning streak and is Chattanooga’s first win against a nationally ranked opponent since 2011.

Game 1: Chattanooga 6, Ball State 2

The Mocs struggled to finish offensively in the first three innings, but defensive teamwork and three strike outs from Taylor Deason kept the Cardinals from finding an offensive rhythm of their own.

Ball State would take a 1-0 lead at the bottom of the second, as Cardinal Stuedemann homered to left center.

The score remained 1-0 until the top of the fourth. Still pushing to connect at the bat, Sarah Beth Roberts would get the momentum going as she doubled to left center. Nicole Osterman followed with a ground out to second base allowing Roberts to advance to third. Criket Blanco completed Roberts run as she brought in her teammate off a ground out to the short stop, evening the score, 1-1.

Ball State recaptured the lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI single to right field from Dabkowski. Sophomore left fielder Taylor Cooley scored on the play after drawing a one-out walk and then stealing second base.

 Still in the game, the Mocs rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh to pull ahead 6-2. J.J. Hamill led off the inning with a single to second base, and advanced to second off a wild pitch. Sam Taylor ran Hamill in as she doubled to left center.

Keeping the energy in motion, Alyssa Taylor brought in Taylor (Sam) as she singled up the middle. Rattling Ball State’s defense Taylor (Alyssa) advanced to second off a bad throw.

A frustrated Ball State would switch out pitcher Stienback for Wilmes but it wouldn’t stop the Mocs as Osterman, advancing off a throwing error by the Cardinals second baseman, helped Taylor (Alyssa) score, putting the Mocs up 4-2.

Blanco would cap off UTC’s run with a homered powered out to left field. Also bringing home Osterman, Blanco’s home run extended Chattanooga’s lead, 6-2.

Shutting the Ball State down offensively in the bottom of the seventh, the Mocs claimed their second straight victory, 6-2 over the cardinals.

Game 2: Chattanooga 3, No. 22 South Alabama 1

Keeping its drive going, UTC would snap No. 22 University of South Alabama softball's seven-game winning streak in their second matchup of the South Alabama Invitational on Friday night.

The Jaguars opened with a 1-0 lead, but the Mocs responded with another homer from Blanco as her two-run shot plated Osterman to set the score 2-1.

At the top of the sixth Osterman slammed UTC’s second home run of the game and third of the night to center field extending the Mocs lead, 3-1.

Keeping an off-speed pitch Cori Jennings (2-1) struck out five and allowed only seven hits, while walking four, keeping the Jaguars at only one scored run.

 UTC looks to extend Friday’s result with a pair of contests on Saturday, the first versus Jacksonville at 12:15 ET and the second against Sam Houston at 4:45 p.m.

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