The Chattanooga Mocs softball team used the long ball to snap a five-game skid during Friday evening’s 6-3 win over Central Michigan at the USF Under Armour Invitational in Clearwater, Fla.
The Mocs fell to UCF in game one of the day, 3-1, and moved to a 9-13 record on the year.
UTC belted out 11 hits including three homeruns during the win over CMU. Allison Swinford earned the pitching win while Alexa Veamoi added the save in the circle.
Hayleigh Weissenbach finished both games a combined 4-for-7 with a homerun and an RBI.
Brook Womack went 3-for-6 and added a HR and three RBI. Amanda Beltran added a 3-for-5 day at the plate.
Chattanooga continues play in the USF Invitational tomorrow with games against Central Connecticut State (11:15 a.m.) and Rider (4:15 p.m.). Both games will feature live stats and a live video stream. Follow @GoMocsSB on Twitter for all game coverage information and updates.
Chattanooga 6, Central Michigan 3
The Mocs broke open the scoreless game in the bottom of the second with a three spot. Brook Womack roped a single through the left side that ended up skipping under the glove of the CMU outfielder and allowed Aly Walker to score from first to give UTC a 1-0 lead.
Katie Corum, in her first start of the season, followed Womack up with a two-run homerun inside the left field foul to push the Mocs advantage to 3-0.
Central Michigan cut into their deficit in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs. CMU singled in a run before loading the bases with no outs, forcing UTC to call to Alexa Veamoi from the bullpen. Veamoi needed just four pitches to get out of the jam, allowing just an RBI ground-out.
Chattanooga added insurance runs to their lead in the bottom of the sixth on a pair of homeruns. Womack laced a two-run shot to left field before Hayleigh Weissenbach took one over the right field fence to give UTC a 6-2 lead. CMU added a run in the final frame on a sacrifice fly, but that would be all.
Allison Swinford (4-3) earned the win for the Mocs in the circle while Veamoi (3) picked up the save. Swinford threw 4.0 innings and allowed five hits and only two earned runs while striking one out. Veamoi pitched the final 3.0 innings and surrendered two hits and one earned run.
Chattanooga belted out 11 hits with four different players recording a multi-hit game. Weissenbach led the way with a 3-for-4 performance including a homerun and RBI. Emma Sturdivant and Womack each finished 2-for-3 while Womack produced three RBI. Amanda Beltran added a 2-for-2 day at the plate while Corum went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
UCF 3, Chattanooga 1
The Mocs got on the board in the top of the first when Ashley Conner drove a two-out single to right field that ended up racing underneath the defender’s glove. The ball rolled to the fence and allowed Aly Walker to score from first, giving Chattanooga the early 1-0 lead.
UCF answered the run in the home half of the second when they launched a solo homerun over the right-center fence to tie the game up 1-1.
The Golden Knights would take the lead in the home half of the fourth on a two-out single to center before a Mocs throwing error allowed another run to score, giving UCF a 3-1 advantage. Chattanooga couldn’t put together a rally in the final frame to push extra innings.
Celie Hudson (3-8) suffered the loss in the circle. Hudson pitched a quality game, tossing 5.0 innings while allowing six hits and just two earned runs. Paige Peterson pitched an inning of relief and allowed just one hit.