The Chattanooga softball team swept its Saturday Senior Day double header with Samford to move into first place in the Southern Conference standings.
The Mocs improve to 35-12 overall and 12-4 in SoCon action, half a game up on UNCG (12-5) who split its double header at Mercer. The Spartans and Bulldogs entered the day tied for the conference lead, half a game up on Chattanooga. The Mocs the opening game 4-3 on a walk-off single and took the second game 1-0.
Zoe Wright went 2-for-3 on the day, with a triple, two RBI and drove in the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh in the first game. Kailey Snell went 3-for-7, scored a run and drove in the game winner in the opening game. Acelynn Sellers had two hits including an RBI single that drove in the eventual game winner for the Mocs in game two.
Peja Goold picked up her 20th win and Taylor Long her fourth shutout of the season.
Prior to the start of the first game, Chattanooga honored its eight seniors. The student-athletes were given gifts and flowers from head coach Frank Reed and his staff while their families shared in the festivities on the field.
GAME 1: CHATTANOOGA 4, SAMFORD 3
Kailey Snell hit a walk-off single, scoring Zoe Wright from third for a Chattanooga come-from-behind victory against the Bulldogs. The bloop shot fell in just on the grass in left field and Wright trotted home for the game-winning run.
Chattanooga scored its first run in the sixth inning on an RBI triple off the bat of Camryn Cernuto to score Snell to make it 3-1. With one out in the seventh, the bottom of the Mocs order came to the plate. Raven Jones reached on an infield single and Abby Orr came in to run. Lexi Cooley, with two strikes, dropped a shot in behind second to put runners at first and second.
Chattanooga’s No. 9 batter, Zoe Wright sent a hit to left field got past the defense and rolled toward the fence while Orr scrambled home to make it a one-run game. Cooley, also headed home, was thrown out at the plate, but was awarded the base as she was interfered with while rounding third and knocked to the ground.
That left Wright at third and Snell set for heroics on her Senior Day.
Samford had taken an early lead with three runs in the third on back-to-back home runs and held the Mocs offense without a hit through the first three innings.
However, Chattanooga would go on to outhit the Bulldogs 9-7 with Peja Goold striking out eight and picking up her 20th win.
Snell was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Cernuto was 1-for-2 with a triple, sac bunt and an RBI. Wright was 1-for-2 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored. Cooley, Jones, Purdy and Lipari all tallied hits for the Mocs.
GAME 2: CHATTANOOGA 1, SAMFORD 0
The Mocs made it a sweep with a 1-0 win in the second game, their 13th shutout of the season. Both teams struggled in the defensive battle, but Chattanooga found a way to score.
Olivia Lipari doubled to left with two outs in the fifth and Samford made a pitching change. Acelynn Sellers dropped a single into right and Lipari rounded third and beat the throw home for the go ahead run.
The Mocs defense did its part, stranding eight Bulldogs.
Samford went 1-2-3 in the first, but loaded bases in the second with no outs. Mocs pitcher Taylor Long notched her first strike out and then a double play ended the threat.
In the top of the sixth, Samford doubled with one out. The Mocs held the runner at second while getting the out at first. However, a single put runners at the corners. The Bulldog runner at first stole second and Zoe Wright cut off the throw down to hold the pinch runner at third. The threat ended on a ground out to second.
In the seventh, Samford had two on and two outs and Long blew it past the final batter for her third strikeout of the inning and getting her 12th win of the season.
Sellers was 2-for-3 with the game winning RBI. Raven Jones went 2-for-3 and Lipari was 1-for-1 with a pair of walks.
Chattanooga will complete the series with Samford Sunday afternoon at Frost Stadium at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are available online at GoMocs.com or at the Frost Stadium ticket booth.