The Chattanooga softball team split on Saturday at the 38th Annual Louisiana Classics hosted by Louisiana. The Mocs started the day with a 4-2 win over New Mexico and fell to California 1-0 in the second game. Chattanooga had 11 hits in the first game and got three in the second.
CHATTANOOGA 4, NEW MEXICO 2 Chattanooga put the first three batters on with a pair of singles and an error. Kaili Phillips drew a walk to plate Camryn Cernuto for the first run, but the Mocs were unable to take advantage of the situation.
Phillips led off the third with a home run to put the Mocs up 2-0.
With two outs, Jayce Purdy drew a walk. She advanced to second on a single down the left field line off the bat of Kailey Snell. Cernuto singled up the middle to score Purdy from second.
Acelynn Sellers led off the fourth with a single and advanced to second on a sac bunt from Bailiegh Pitts. Olivia Lipari reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, sending the ball into the outfield and scoring Sellers from second to give UTC a 4-0 lead.
New Mexico broke up the shutout in the bottom of the fourth with a sac fly to center field and picked up a second in the sixth.
Izzy Alley went four innings and picked up the Mocs (1-4) first win of the season. She struck out three, walked three and gave up one run on one hit. Riley Lamb came on in relief, pitching the final three innings. She struck out two and walked one while giving up just one run.
The Mocs had 11 hits with five different players getting two hits each. Phillips was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Sellers was 2-for-2 with a double and a walk. Cernuto went 2-for-5 with an RBI.
CHATTANOOGA 0, CALIFORNIA 1 With one out in the bottom of the fifth, California broke up Alyssa Lavdis’ no-hitter with a home run over the centerfield fence. It was the lone run scored and enough to give the Golden Bears the win.
The Mocs best chance to score came in the top of the fourth with bases loaded. The inning ended, however, on a double play.
Sellers was 1-for-2 and Addy Keylon was 1-for-2 with a walk. Cernuto went 1-for-4. Lavdis pitched all six innings and struck out one.
Chattanooga returns to action Friday, February 16 at the Chattanooga Challenge. UTC will face off against Ball State at 3:00 p.m. and Western Kentucky at 5:30 p.m. For up-to-date information on the tournament, check GoMocs.com. Tickets are available online at GoMocs.com.