The Chattanooga Lady Mocs softball team is set to return to action in the Sunshine State on Friday with a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 4:30 p.m. against Canisius and Hartford. The three-day event at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Fla., has the Lady Mocs facing Northwestern and UMass on Saturday at 4 p.m., and concludes on Sunday against Illinois at 11:15 a.m.
All of these contest will have live stats and free audio available on MocsVision with Tyler Brown, the Voice of Lady Mocs Softball, having the play-by-play call.
Links to these live events can be found on the softball schedule page of GoMocs.com.
Chattanooga returns to Southern Conference action on March 24-25 with a three-game set in Boone, N.C., against Appalachian State. The Lady Mocs next home game at Frost Stadium isn't until a mid-week tilt against Marshall on April 4 at 5 p.m.
Lady Mocs vs. Canisius: 0-1
Series History: The two programs last met in the first season of Chattanooga softball, 1994, as Canisius took the match up, 8-7.
Scouting Report: The Golden Giffins are 4-11 with victories over Drexel (4-1), Princeton (1-0), UW Green Bay (7-5), and Cleveland St. (10-6). Canisisius has spent an entire week in Clearwater, Fla., as it played in the USF Under Armour Showcase last weekend. Batting over .300 is Erica Afanador (.333), Lauren Falzone (.327) and Katie Medina. The run producer for the Golden Griffins is Robin Kennery with eight runs batted in. In the circle, Caroline Main has posted a 3-5 record with 30 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched, while compiling a 5.13 ERA. At 1-2, Jen Consaul has a 4.12 ERA with 14 srikeouts in 37.1 innings of work. Head Coach Mike Rappl is currently in his 33rd season at the helm of the Canisius program.
Lady Mocs vs. Hartford: 2-0
Series History: The Lady Mocs swept a doubleheader, 10-2 (5), and 6-0, at Frost Stadium on March 27, 2003.
Scouting Report: The Hawks are 2-6 on the season with two wins over George Mason (5-4 (9), 3-0). The team has lost a pair of games to Cornell, including a 3-6 loss in nine innings, along with a 9-0 loss to George Mason. Harford was swept in a doubleheader against Central Connecticut (5-4, 13-7) and lost a 10-inning contest to Rhode Island. Pacing the offense is Peyton Fisher with a .407 average. Jordan Haines and Fisher have each connected on a home run, while Kate Wacyk and Jordan Haines have a team-best five RBI each. Both Hawks wins were recorded by Siera Sheehan, who boasts a 2.96 ERA and 2-1 record with 13 strikeouts in 28.1 innings pitched. Kaitlyn Meade has tossed 17.0 innings and has a 0-3 mark with five strikeouts. Head Coach Diana Consolmagno is in her second season guiding the Hawks program.
Lady Mocs vs. Northwestern: 0-1
Series History: The Wildcats won, 6-0, on March 6, 2004, in Clearwater, Fla.
Scouting Report: Northwestern enters the weekend with a 7-11 mark against a slate loaded with top-25 competition , which includes wins over Texas Tech (14-6, 6), No. 17 Texas A&M (6-3, 8), Louisiana Tech (10-6), Colorado St. (8-1), No. 11 Missouri (7-1), East Carolina (4-2) and Southern Miss (7-2). Emily Allard paces the offense with a .423 batting average followed by Marisa Bast at .389. Bast is the team leader in RBI with 18 and has connected on five home runs on the season. Hurlers Meghan Lamerth (3-4) and Amy Letourneau (3-5) have each posted three wins on the season. Lamberth has tossed 54.2 innings with 29 strikeouts, while Letorneau leads the staff with 38 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. Head Coach Kate Drohan is in her 12th season as the coach of the Wildcats.
Lady Mocs vs. UMass: 2-3
Series History: The last meeting was a 3-0 win on March 5, 2010 for UMass in Clearwater, Fla. The Lady Mocs have won 4-3 in 2006 and 1-0 in 2001, both in the Tampa area. The Minutemen took 3-2 wins in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (2003) and Clearwater (2006).
Scouting Report: The Minutemen are 7-7 on the year with wins against Illinois (4-1), Florida International (3-1), Michigan St. (7-6), No. 12 Michigan (1-0), No. 20 Georgia Tech (1-0), Maryland (16-6, 4-1). Cyndil Matthew boasts the highest batting average on the team at .415. The largest threat in the line up may be Quianna Diaz-Patters, who had knocked in 10 runs, while Stephanie Mayne and Tiffany Meeks have each blasted two home runs. The workhorse in the circle is Sara Plourde, who has 121 strikeouts in 73 innings pitched, with a 2.97 ERA and 6-5 record. Bridget Lemire has compiled a 1-2 mark with five strikeouts in 18.1 innings of work. Head Coach Elaine Sortino has led the squad for the past 33 seasons and has achieved 1,100 career wins.
Lady Mocs vs. Illinois: 1-0
Series History: Chattanooga took the only meeting a 10-1 decision in Clearwater, Fla., on March 10, 2006.
Scouting Report: The Illini begin the tournament with a 9-9 mark with victories against UAB (1-0, 8), Michigan State (8-0, 5), Pittsburgh (1-0), Hofstra (2-0), Winthrop (4-2), UMass (4-2), New Mexico St. (4-3), UNLV (3-2) and Florida Atlantic (7-6). The offense is led by Merrdith Hackett (.392), Jess Perkins (.377) and Jenna Mychko (.323). Posing the biggest offensive threat is Hackett with three home runs and 11 RBI. The pitching staff is led by Pepper Gay with a 1.91 ERA and 7-2 mark in 66.0 innings of work, including 67 strikeouts. Jackie Guy has posted a 2-7 record with 40 strike outs in 48.2 innings.
GoMocs.com Covers All Your Softball Needs
- The official website of Chattanooga athletics has up-to-date student-athlete bios, schedules, notes and statistics.
- Be sure to follow @GoMocs on Twitter for in-game updates along with all the news and information about the program.
- Live Stats can be found to all games, whether the Lady Mocs are home or away. Mobile live stats in now an option as well.
- New this year, all Lady Mocs road games are broadcasted for free through MocsVision.
- Live video and play-by-play can be seen through the pay-per-view section of MocsVision.
- Tyler Brown, the Voice of the Lady Mocs Softball, has the call of each contest this season with Nate Blythe providing insight as an analyst.
- Check GoMocs.com for recaps, post game notes and video interviews with head coach Frank Reed and student-athletes following each game.
Fuzzard a Candidate for Lowe's Senior CLASS Award
- Named one of 30 candidates for the award on Feb. 15.
- The criteria for the award is a combination of the student-athlete's achievements in community, classroom, character and competition.
- List of candidates that the Lady Mocs play: Natalie Land, IF, UCF; Molly Garst, IF, Purdue; Shayla Jackson, OF, Florida St.; Adrienne Monka, 1B, Northwestern; and Michelle Moultrie, CF, Florida.
- Classroom: Graduated with 3.24 GPA in criminal justice in Aug. 2011, has 3.33 GPA as grad student and 270 hours interning at Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute.
- Character: Overcame torn ACL in 2010 to be named the 2011 SoCon Player of the Year, works on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Gender Equity Committee of the University
- Community: youth ball coach mentoring younger players and assisted in setting up meetings with Friends of Jacklyn Teammate, Amanda Swartout.
- Competition: 2008 SoCon Freshman of Year, three-time SoCon First Team, 2009 SoCon second team (only player in league history to make first and second team at different positions), 2011 SoCon Player of the Year. Four SoCon Regular Season Titles, Three SoCon Tournament Championships and Three NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional appearances.
SoCon February Player of the Month
- Senior designated player and pitcher Michelle Fuzzard was honored for the third time in her career (2011 - Feb./May)
- She compiled a .536 batting avg. and 1.031 slugging and .660 on-base pct.
- Fuzzard registered 17 RBI and had a 4 RBI game against BCU.
- The Huntington Beach, Calif., native notched seven multi-hit and five multi-RBI games.
- She connected on three home runs along with six RBI, including her second career multi-home run game vs. Eastern Illinois.
- Fuzzard was pitched around on 11 occasions including three times intentionally, while being hit two more times.
- A new career-best was achieved by scoring four runs vs. Dayton.
Lady Mocs in the NCAA Rankings
- Team: Batting (.345, 11th), ERA (2.48, 64th), Scoring (6.27, 26th), Home Runs (1.18, 15th), Doubles (1.64, 24th), Slugging (.556, 12th).
- Sara Poteat: Batting (.487, 13th), Stolen Bases (0.5, 53rd), Runs (1.23, 14th)
- Michelle Fuzzard: Batting (.466, 24th), RBI (1.09, 51st), Doubles (0.36, 35th), Slugging (.810, 40th), On-Base (.577, 15th)
- Kasey Tydingco: Batting (.419, 90th), Home Runs (0.27, 71st), RBI (1.14, 39th), Slugging (.823, 36th), Hardest to K (20.7, 57th)
- Vivian Morimoto: Home Runs (.32, 71st)
- Taylor Deason: Victories (9, 29th), Saves (1, 57th)
Fuzzard Moving Up the Charts
- Senior designated player and pitcher Michelle Fuzzard etched herself into the Lady Mocs record book with a two-RBI double, her 178 career RBI, in the series finale against College of Charleston moving past Melissa Ramirez (2002-05) into first on the all-time charts.
- The SoCon record is 184 by Amanda Cone (2001-04), CofC.
- She has 49 career doubles, third all-time, and next up on the list is Allison DeVries (1996-99) with 56 and Melissa Ramirez (2002-05) is atop of it at 63.
- Fifth on the total bases list at 374, needs 383 to pass Tara Tembey. Devries is third at 386 and Tiffany Baker (2008-11) is second at 391.
- Seventh on the total hits chart with 232, Keri Meigs (1996-99) is sixth at 235 followed by Jeannie Cochrane (2004-07) at 238.
- Tied for ninth with Tiffany Baker (2008-11) in runs scored 115.
- The Huntington Beach, Calif., native is second on the all-time home run list with 31 with the record held by Baker at 50.
Impressive Start in the Circle
- Freshman pitcher Taylor Deason has impressed Coach Reed with her mental toughness early in the season.
- The Clarksville, Tenn., native paces the pitching staff with a 9-4 record and 2.15 ERA.
- She has tallied 70 strikeouts in 81.1 innings pitched.
- Deason notched both wins in the Lady Mocs SoCon opener against College of Charleston.
- She registered a 5-3 win at Ole Miss, which included a season- best 11 strikeouts.
The Charleston Sweep
- The SoCon opener for Chattanooga and College of Charleston pitted the top two teams in the league voted by the coaches in a preseason poll.
- The Lady Mocs sent a message to the rest of the league early in the season scoring 11 runs twice in five inning wins against one of the top pitching staffs and defenses in the conference.
- Chattanooga avenged a sweep last season in Charleston, S.C., which were the only contests the team dropped in league play.
- Both team combined to turn six double plays in the final two games of the series, including a grind it out 2-1 win for Chattanooga.
- Eight home runs were recorded by Chattanooga in the three-game set including three doubles and a triple.
Poteat's Speed
- Junior second baseman Sara Poteat has been a tough out for opponents this season with a .512 on-base pct. and team-leading .468 average.
- Poteat leads the SoCon with 37 hits and 11 stolen bases.
- Poteat has beat-out 222 infield hits on the season.
- She has 15 multi-hit games this season and 39 in her career.
Tydingco as a Clean-up Hitter
- The Fairfield, Calif., native was inserted into the clean-up spot at Ole Miss, batting behind senior designated player and pitcher Michelle Fuzzard.
- Junior first baseman Kasey Tydingco has posted a .415 average so far this season with six home runs and 25 RBI
- The first baseman has added five doubles on the season along with seven walks.
Five Returners Fuel the Offense
- Senior shortstop Jessica Traxler, Tydingco, Poteat and Fuzzard have all hit over .300 in the first 22 games.
- Senior catcher Vivian Morimoto has started slow this season with a .294 average, but has come on as of late and leads the team with seven home runs.
- All five have posted slugging percentages greater than .500.
- They were key contributors in the Lady Mocs pacing the NCAA in batting average a season ago.
Moving to the Left Side
- Head Coach Frank Reed wanted to utilize the speed of sophomore outfielder Layne Rainey at the plate more often, so he experimented in moving her to the left side.
- The walkon has since excelled with a .368 batting average and seven hits.
- A native of Clarksville, Tenn., Rainey has started six contest in left field during that span.
Freshmen Stepping Up
- Freshman third baseman Sarah Beth Roberts has compiled a .304 average in 17 starts, tallying 14 hits including four doubles and a triple.
- Freshman outfielder Cheyenne Willis has shown power and speed in the two-hole with a .283 average and 17 RBI.
- Willis has connected on three home runs this season including one in the 5-3 win at Ole Miss.
- Freshman outfielder Nicole Osterman might have the most power of the bunch driving a shot deep over the fence in left center against IUPUI.
- Osterman has totaled 15 hits, five doubles and nine RBI.