The Chattanooga Mocs softball team wraps up the 2014 Southern Conference regular season Saturday and Sunday, hosting its final home series of the year. The Scenic City welcomes Western Carolina to Frost Stadium for a three-game set, beginning with a doubleheader Friday at 5 p.m.
The second game of Saturday’s twin-bill is tentatively scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and Sunday’s first pitch is set for 2 p.m. Senior day festivities are scheduled to take place prior to Sunday’s game, recognizing student-athletes Hannah Thurley (Nashville, Tenn.), Tyler Templet (Woodstock, Ga.), Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.) and Kaiti Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.), along with graduate assistant athletic trainer Ian Carruthers (Memphis, Tenn.).
The Mocs go into the weekend with a 10-7 mark in the SoCon, looking to climb the standings. Currently, Chattanooga sits in third place behind first-place Georgia Southern (14-4) and second-place Furman (11-6). With wins over the Catamounts and with a little help from Appalachian State against Furman, UTC could jump the Paladins and claim the No. 2 seed going into the Southern Conference Tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
Junior Sarah Beth Roberts (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) continued her hot streak in Statesboro, Ga., last weekend with a hit in each of the Mocs contests against Georgia Southern. The third baseman has hit safely in 18 of her last 20 games.
Overall, sophomore Anyssa Robles (Lawrenceville, Ga.) continues to pace Chattanooga with a .338 batting average. Her 27 RBI and 44 hits are second only to Roberts’ 47 hits and 28 RBI. Junior Nicole Osterman (Kissimmee, Fla.) presents the most dangerous bat in the lineup most recently, slamming four homeruns and collecting 16 total hits in just 16 games played.
Western Carolina comes into the weekend with an 18-29 overall mark and 8-10 SoCon record. The Catamounts went 1-2 last weekend in Cullowhee, N.C., against Furman.
Freshman Cara Salvo has been dominant for WCU, averaging .319 at the plate with 43 hits and 23 RBI. The infielder has also clocked four homeruns. Fellow freshman Courtney Price leads the team with 44 hits and is batting .314, just behind Salvo.
Catamounts pitching is led by junior Jordan Garrett, tallying nine wins and three solo shutouts. Courtney Buchanan ranks second in the ‘pen with six wins and two assisted shutouts.
Live stats are available for both games free via GoMocs.com. Video of the weekend’s games are available on pay-per-view through MocsVision.