The Chattanooga Mocs softball team swept Mercer 2-1 and 6-0 on Saturday at Sikes Field in Macon in Southern Conference action.
Chattanooga improved to 24-9 overall and 4-1 in league play while the Bears’ record evens out at 18-18 and fall to 1-4 in conference action.
The Mocs had 14 hits on the day led by Lexi Cooley (4-for-7) and Camryn Cenuto (4-for-7). Cooley hit her first home run of her collegiate career in the second game Saturday. Presley Williamson and Olivia Lipari each had two RBI and two walks. Cernuto, who leads the team in steals, added one more to her total.
The Mocs pitching gave up just one run on the day, threw two complete games, tallied 19 strikeouts and gave up five hits.
Sunday’s game is now slated to begin at 11:00 a.m. due to the threat of inclement weather at the scheduled game time. Follow all the action online at GoMocs.com.
CHATTANOOGA 2, MERCER 1 The Mocs won the opening game of the series with Mercer with two runs scored in the top of the third.
Zoe Wright got the inning started with a lead off single that fell just inside fair territory in left field. Kailey Snell laid down a sac bunt to move her to second and a single up the middle, over the pitchers head by Camryn Cernuto put runners on the corners.
Cernuto stole second to put both runners into scoring position for Olivia Lipari. Lipari sacrificed to right field, driving in two runs for the lead.
Mercer cut the lead in half with a solo shot from league-leading home run hitter Tori Hedgecock, breaking up the no-hitter. However, that’s all the Bears would get and Chattanooga held to pick up its third win of the SoCon season.
The Mocs had four hits in the game and drew one walk. Peja Goold threw her 12th complete game of the season and improved to 13-4 overall. She struck out eight and walked three.
CHATTANOOGA 6, MERCER 0 In the second game, the Mocs got the scoring started early putting two on the board in the first inning.
With one out, Camryn Cernuto had an infield single and took second on a passed ball. She moved to third on another passed ball and scored on an Acelynn Sellers double to left center.
Presley Williamson walked to put runners at first and second for Jayce Purdy. Her single to right sent Sellers home for a 2-0 Chattanooga advantage.
Three walks loaded the bases for Mercer in the bottom of the inning, but a strikeout swinging ended the threat.
The fourth inning added three more runs to the Mocs total. Lexi Cooley led off with a single up the middle. With two outs and Cooley on third, Cernuto singled up the middle to drive her home. Olivia Lipari walked and Sellers was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Williamson walked in a run. The Bears made a pitching change and Purdy drew a walk to drive in the third run of the frame and put UTC up 5-0.
Mercer loaded the bases a second time in the fourth, but failed to plate a run.
In the fifth, Cooley led off the inning with her first collegiate home run, a crushed shot over the fence in left center to make it 6-0.
The Bears got two runners on over the final three innings but no runs.
Taylor Long moved to 8-0 on the year. She notched 11 strikeouts and allowed just three hits.