After recording only three hits in Friday’s game one 5-2 loss to Saint Louis, the Chattanooga Mocs softball team offense woke up with 11 hits in a 7-6 win over UT Martin to end the opening day of the Ole Miss Classic in Oxford, Miss.
After the doubleheader split, the Mocs move to 8-8 on the season.
In the victory over UT Martin, Ashley Conner belted her second grand slam in the last four games, in addition to all nine UTC starters reaching base safely and nine different Mocs recording hits.
Alexa Veamoi came on in relief against UTM and notched her first career win in the circle, tossing 4.0 innings of scoreless ball.
Chattanooga continues play in the Ole Miss Classic tomorrow with a 1:30 p.m.
ET start against Southern Miss before playing the host Ole Miss Rebels in a 6:30 p.m. ET showdown on SEC Network+ through the WatchESPN platform. Video link can be found above or in the schedule page.
Saint Louis 5, Chattanooga 2
For the fifth time in the last six games, Chattanooga allowed runs to the opposing team in the opening inning. Saint Louis scored in the bottom of the first on a bases loaded walk to take the early 1-0 lead.
The game would remain 1-0 until the bottom of the fourth when the Billikens added to their lead on Chattanooga miscues. SLU plated four unearned runs after a muffed catch at first base on a sacrifice bunt allowed the inning to continue. The Billikens scored on another bases loaded walk before roping a two-out, bases-clearing triple off the wall in right field to extend out to the 5-0 lead.
Chattanooga would threaten in the top of the sixth when they loaded the bases with one out. Morgan Kazerooni drew a walk to bring in a run before Halie Williamson’s sacrifice fly cut the deficit to 5-2. The Mocs would leave the bases full after a strikeout ended the inning and the rally.
Celie Hudson (3-5) suffered the loss in the circle after tossing 3.2 innings and allowing four hits, five runs (one earned) while walking six.
UTC registered only three hits in the loss. Devan Brown roped the lone extra base hit with a double in a 1-for-2 performance while Ashley Conner (1-for-2) and Amy Lewis (1-for-3) added singles.
Chattanooga 7, UT Martin 6
After a slow offensive performance in the first game, Chattanooga wasted no time getting the bats going against UT Martin. The Mocs scored seven runs in the bottom of the second and totaled nine hits in those two innings.
The big inning started with three-straight RBI singles off the bats of Alyssa Coppinger, Kacie Lynch and Hayleigh Weissenbach to give UTC a 3-0 edge. With the bases full, Ashley Conner launched her second grand slam in her last four games to build a sizeable 7-0 lead.
UT Martin struck right back with five runs in the top of the third inning on just three hits. UTC allowed two walks and two hit batters during the inning. UTM scored via a bases loaded walk before back-to-back RBI doubles scored four more runs to bring the score to 7-5.
The Skyhawks continued their offensive attack in the top of the fourth with an RBI single to right field, scoring a run and cutting their deficit to one at 7-6. Alexa Veamoi came in for relief work and pitched out of a one out, bases loaded jam to limit the Skyhawks to only that one run.
Veamoi (1-1) earned her first win of her collegiate career after finishing the game with 4.0 innings of relief, allowing just four hits and no runs. In six appearances this season, she has tossed 12.0 innings and has allowed only one earned run.
Nine different Mocs recorded at least a hit as the team totaled 11 during the victory. Williamson and Coppinger both went 2-for-3 and combined for a run scored and an RBI. Conner finished the day 1-for-3 with a homerun and four RBIs.