After taking Game One in six innings over UNC Greensboro, it took a couple of extra innings to sweep the Spartans in Game Two on the opening day of Southern Conference softball action.
The Mocs improve to 21-8 overall and are 2-0 in league play while the Spartans move to 22-9 on the year and 0-2 in conference action.
Jayce Purdy and Presley Williamson batted .500 while Raven Jones and Kailey Snell each went 3-for-7 (.429) for the day. Williamson had a two-run homer in the opening game along with a game-winning double.
Jones tallied a double and a triple on the day while Lexi Cooley had a three-bagger and Cam Cernuto doubled.
In the second game, Purdy's single drove in the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth.
Peja Goold picked up two wins, pitched a complete game and struck out nine in eight innings of work. She gave up four hits and one run.
CHATTANOOGA 9, UNC GREENSBORO 1 // 6 INNINGS
The Mocs recorded eight hits in the opening game Saturday that included a home run, two triples and three doubles.
Presley Williamson went 2-for-2 in the game with a two-run home run and the game-winning double while also drawing a pair of walks, one forcing in a run. She drove in four of the Mocs nine runs. Raven Jones was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple while Lexi Cooley recorded a triple and drove in a run.
The Mocs got on the board with two runs in the first. Kailey Snell singled through the left side. Camryn Cernuto, attempting to sacrifice her over, reached on an error and ended up at third while Snell rounded the bags to home from first. Cernuto raced home on a ground out to short on the next at bat and UTC was up 2-0.
In the third, Williamson doubled the Mocs score with a two-run blast to left center, driving in Olivia Lipari who reached on a walk.
The Spartans put up a run in the fourth. With bases loaded and throw home ended up in the dirt, allowing the run to score to make it a 4-1 Mocs advantage.
Three more runs crossed the plate in the fourth to push the lead to 7-1. Raven Jones led off with a double and scored on the next at bat off a triple from Lexi Cooley. She scored on a passed ball to make it 6-1.
The Mocs got two more runners on base and with two out and a pitching change, Acelynn Sellers walked to load the bases for Williamson who also drew a walk and forced in the seventh run of the game for Chattanooga.
Jones led off the fifth with a triple and scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-1. The Mocs got two runners in scoring position, but a pop up ended the threat.
The Spartans went three up, three down in the sixth while Chattanooga’s Sellers led off with a walk. Abby Orr, pinch running came around from first on a double to the fence in center by Williamson to clinch the win.
Peja Goold pitched her 11th complete game of the season with six strikeouts in six innings. She improved to 11-3 overall.
CHATTANOOGA 3, UNC GREENSBORO 2 // 9 INNINGS
As quick as the first game was played, the second went almost a full three hours and nine innings. Chattanooga outhit the Spartans 8-4, but couldn’t get runs across the plate until late. Jayce Purdy was 2-for-3 with the game winning RBI and Kailey Snell was 2-for-4. Raven Jones had an RBI as did Abi Bunt in a pinch hit situation.
Taylor Long went seven innings with eight strikeouts and did not allow an earned run. Peja Goold came on in the top of the eighth and earned her 12th win of the season. She struck out three of the seven batters faced.
The Spartans got an early lead on a pair of errors. With one on and two out, the next batter reached on a throwing error that put runners at the corners. Back-to-back singles drove in two unearned runs to put UNCG up 2-0 after half an inning played.
Kailey Snell led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle and advanced to on a sac bunt by Camryn Cernuto, but was stranded.
Williamson led off the second with a walk and Abi Pikas came in to run the bases. Jayce Purdy’s sac bunt moved her over and a single by Raven Jones to left field drove in Pikas for the Mocs first run of the game.
The second came in the bottom of the seventh. Baileigh Pitts pinch hit for Zoe Wright and drew a walk. Wright reentered to run. Kailey Snell reached on a throwing error and Wright made her way to third, sliding in before the tag.
Goold entered in the top of the eighth and the Spartans popped up, flied out and struck out swinging. The Mocs put two on by way of fielding errors, but left both stranded.
In the top of the ninth, UNCG got a runner on but had two strike out and ended the inning on a ground out to third.
The Mocs got two quick out to start the ninth. Sellers and Williamson drew back-to-back walks for Purdy who drove a deep single to left center, scoring Sellers for the win.
The two teams will meet Sunday at 2:00 p.m. for the final game of the series. Tickets are on sale online at GoMocs.com or at the Frost Stadium ticket booth one hour prior to first pitch. Come celebrate Western Hoedown with the Mocs and wear your Scrappy cowboy hat!!