The Chattanooga Mocs softball team saw another late inning lead evaporate and suffered a Southern Conference three-game series sweep during a 10-5 loss to UNCG in the series finale on a sunny Sunday afternoon inside Jim Frost Stadium.
Following the pair of defeats, Chattanooga falls to 9-21 overall and 5-6 in league action.
UTC has dropped its last five conference games after racing out to a 5-1 start. UNCG improves to 6-3 in conference play and 21-14 overall.
GAME RECAP | BOX
UNCG 10, Chattanooga 5
For the third-straight game of the series, Chattanooga struck first and raced out to an early lead. Regan Armour opened the game’s scoring in the bottom of the second with a two-run double to right, scoring Gracey Kruse and Hayleigh Weissenbach to give the Mocs a 2-0 lead.
UNCG answered with three runs in the top of the third off starting pitcher Brooke Parrott to take a 3-2 lead. Samantha Lagrama belted a two-run homer to center before Brooklynn Maxwell capped off the rally with an RBI single to right.
Liz Rodebaugh tied the game at 3-3 in the home half of the third with an RBI double to left. The double marked Rodebaugh’s seventh hit in her last 14 at-bats dating back to the start of last weekend’s Mercer series.
In a back-and-forth affair, UNCG regained the lead in the top of the fourth after chasing Parrott from the circle in the third. Makenna Matthijs laced an RBI double to right with one out to give the Spartans a 4-3 edge. The visitors’ lead wouldn’t last long as Courtney Ball delivered with a two-out, two-run double in the bottom of the fourth to put Chattanooga back ahead, 5-4.
The Spartans rallied for five runs in the top of the fifth, all unearned, to break open a 9-5 lead and continue the theme of back-and-forth action. UTC was held scoreless the rest of the way while UNCG added a run in the sixth on a SAC fly to amass the 10-5 tally.
Hannah Wood (5-9) suffered the loss in the circle in a relief role, going 2.0 innings while allowing seven hits and six runs (one earned). Parrott scored a no-decision after a 3.0 inning, five hit, four earned run performance. Kat Thompson provided 2.0 innings of scoreless relief and allowed only one hit.
Chattanooga finished with eight hits as a team and stranded nine runners on base. The Mocs featured a trio of multi-hit performances including Ball (2-for-4, 2 RBI), Kruse (2-for-4, R) and Kailey Snell (2-for-3, R). Armour finished 1-for-3 with a pair of RBI.
SCORING PLAYS
B2nd: Reagan Armour doubled to right field, 2 RBI (1-0 B); Gracey Kruse scored; Hayleigh Weissenbach scored. (UTC 2-0)
T3rd: S. Lagrama homered to left center, 2 RBI (2-1 BBK); M. Matthijs scored. (Tied 2-2)
T3rd: B. Maxwell singled to right field, RBI (1-2 KFB); H. Kincer advanced to second, out at third rf to 3b; J. Palmer scored. (UNCG 3-2)
B3rd: Liz Rodebaugh doubled to left center, RBI (3-2 BBKBF); Hayleigh Weissenbach advanced to third; Ball scored. (Tied 3-3)
T4th: M. Matthijs doubled to right center, RBI (2-1 SBB); K. Stettler scored. (UNCG 4-3)
B4th: Courtney Ball doubled to right center, 2 RBI (0-1 F); Emily Coltharp advanced to third; Kailey Snell scored, unearned; Sidney Swantic scored, unearned. (UTC 5-4)
T5th: M. Darges singled to left center, RBI (1-0 B); K. Stettler advanced to second; B. Maxwell advanced to third; J. Palmer scored, unearned. (Tied 5-5)
T5th: M. Matthijs singled to center field, 2 RBI (2-2 KBFBF); M. Darges advanced to second; K. Stettler scored, unearned; B. Maxwell scored, unearned. (UNCG 7-5)
T5th: D. Cumbie doubled to right center, 2 RBI (2-2 BKFB); M. Matthijs scored, unearned; M. Darges scored, unearned. (UNCG 9-5)
T6th: M. Darges flied out to cf, SAC, RBI (1-0 B); K. Stettler advanced to second; H. Kincer scored. (UNCG 10-5)
UP NEXT
Chattanooga (9-21, 5-6 SoCon) gets set to host SEC-member Auburn for its final non-conference matchup of the season this Wednesday, April 21 at 4:00 p.m. ET inside Jim Frost Stadium. General public tickets are SOLD OUT. The game will stream LIVE on ESPN+ with game coverage links located on the schedule page.