The Chattanooga Mocs softball team delighted fans at Frost Stadium with a couple of wins Saturday afternoon over Southern Conference foe UNCG. Chattanooga was 5-4 winners in the first game, and freshman Cori Jennings becomes the fifth left handed pitcher to stump the Spartans with a UTC 3-1 victory against UNCG.
The Mocs now stand at 18-8, 2-0 in SoCon action and UNCG falls to 12-11, 0-2 in conference play.
Chattanooga 5 – UNCG 4
After scoreless two innings, UNCG jumped on the board first with two runs off three hits in the top the third inning.
Spartan Nicole Thomas lined a RBI single down the right field line for UNCG’s first run. Pinch runner Rebecca Kale scored the second run of the frame off a passed ball.
Two hits and two runs extended UNCG’s lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning. Lindsey Thomas lined a RBI sacrifice fly to right field while Danielle Vega roped a two out RBI double.
Still in the game, the Mocs responded with two runs in the fifth inning off two hits. The first run came courtesy of Marina Wilkerson as the senior blasted her first triple of the season to right center, driving in Alyssa Taylor from first. Wilkerson was later ran in by Sam Taylor who followed up with a RBI ground out to third base.
With the score, 4-2 UNCG, both teams went scoreless in the sixth inning.
The Spartans fell in order in the top of the seventh leaving Chattanooga to rally back with three runs to earn a 5-4 walk-off victory.
Jesslyn Stockard led off the final frame for the Mocs with a single to right field. Pinch running for Stockard was Courtney Ervin, who would make her way to home plate as pinch hitter Jenny Garcia lined a RBI triple, setting the score 4-3. Sam Taylor eased a single to left field running in Garcia to tie up the game at four. Sarah Beth Roberts secured the lead and the game for the Mocs as her sacrifice bunt ended the game with a walk-off RBI single.
Chattanooga 3 – UNCG 1
Chattanooga’s good fortune carried over into the second game on the back of Cori Jennings. The freshman hurled seven innings and allowed only one earned run to secure her eighth win of the season.
UNCG would be the first to score as Nicole Thomas hit a RBI single in the third inning. However, the Mocs snatch the lead off three hits in the third inning.
The Mocs lead off the frame with back-to-back singles as Sam Taylor reached off a hit to right field and J.J. Hamill on a bunt. Sarah Beth Roberts lined a sacrifice fly to left field to tie the game at 1-1.
With Hamill left on third and two outs, Stockard laced a RBI to centerfield giving the Mocs a 2-1 advantage.
Chattanooga tacked on an insurance run in the fourth inning with a homer from Anyssa Robles to put the score, 3-1. The junior’s out-of-the-park-hit is her second home run of the season.
UTC’s defense would keep the Spartans off of home plate for the last three innings and seal the win for Chattanooga.
The Mocs wrap up their series with the Spartans Sunday at 2 p.m. at Frost Stadium