GREENSBORO, N.C. – Chattanooga topped UNC Greensboro 3-2 in eight innings in game one then completed the doubleheader sweep with a 6-2 win in game two on Saturday to clinch the Southern Conference title.
The Lady Mocs' sweep, coupled with Georgia Southern's sweep of Elon, secured Chattanooga's fourth straight regular-season SoCon championship.
Brittany Ausley led the Spartans (23-26, 10-9 SoCon) at the plate in game one, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Eileen Horsmon had a two-run home run for UNCG's lone hit in game two.
UNCG held early 2-0 leads in both contests, but saw Chattanooga (37-13, 17-3 SoCon) rally both times.
The first contest went to extras, with Chattanooga scoring the eventual winning run in the top of the eighth. With the bases loaded and one out, Lauren Flores lifted a fly ball to center field. Kristen Gabel made the catch and fired a bullet home to seemingly nail Jessica Traxler at the plate, but the ball came loose in the collision and Traxler was safe.
The Spartans made things interesting in the bottom half, getting a one-out single from Kaitlin Merkt and seeing Heather Robb reach on a wild pitch on strike three to put runners at the corners. Chattanooga reliever Kandice Irwin worked out of the jam, getting a grounder to second to end the game.
UNCG struck for two unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning. After Robb drew a one-out walk – with ball four coming on an illegal pitch by Chattanooga starter Nikki Waters – Whitney Sirois hit into a fielder's choice at second. UTC second baseman Tia Blosser attempted to flip the ball to second for the force out there, but didn't field it cleanly, allowing Robb to reach second safely. One out later, Ausley drilled a double to the gap in right center, plating Robb and Sirois.
The Lady Mocs got one of the runs back the next inning, scoring an unearned run of their own. After catcher Brittany Eason led off the frame with a single up the middle, she went to third when the Spartans committed an error on Traxler's sacrifice attempt. Eason later came in on Kasey Tydingco's RBI groundout to cut the Spartans' lead in half.
Chattanooga tied it in the sixth, with Tiffany Baker's single up the middle scoring Lindsey Styles.
Irwin improved to 10-0 on the season, allowing four hits in 6 1/3 innings of work, striking out seven.
Amber Harrell took the loss for UNCG, falling to 11-13 on the season. She allowed three runs – two earned – on six hits and two walks in the complete-game effort. She struck out four.
Game two again saw the Spartans jump out to a 2-0 lead, this
time in the first inning. After Ausley drew a leadoff walk,
freshman Eileen Horsmon drilled a two-out, two-run home run to deep
left center for her fifth of the season.
That would prove to be UNCG's last hit of the day, however,
as Chattanooga starter Brooke Loudermilk was sharp the rest of the
way. She walked three and struck out eight, allowing only three
base-runners after the first inning.
UNCG starter Cory Mattson dodged early trouble – working out of a bases-loaded, none-out situation in the fourth – and made the lead stand until the wheels fell off in the fifth.
The Lady Mocs batted around in the frame, and Traxler's two-run homer off the scoreboard in right center tied the game at two before an out had been recorded. Mattson fielded a grounder for out No. 1, but Tydingco followed with a double and Blosser hit another two-run shot to make it 4-2 and knock Mattson from the game.
Chattanooga would add another run in the inning on pinch-hitter Kaiti Kelley's RBI single, and tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on Blosser's run-scoring single.
Mattson (10-12) allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. Raeanne Hanks allowed two runs – one earned – on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings. Harrell worked the final third of an inning, walking one.
The losses, couple with Georgia Southern's sweep of Elon and Furman's split with College of Charleston, put UNCG in a tie with Furman for the fourth and final spot in the league tournament.
UNCG will close out the home portion of its schedule Sunday against Chattanooga at 1 p.m. Seniors Ausley, Harrell, Sirois, Emily Akiyama and Laura Olenderski will be honored as part of the Senior Day festivities.
AGATE
Chattanooga 3, UNC Greensboro 2 (May 01, 2010 at
Greensboro, N.C.) (Game 1)
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Chattanooga......... 001 001 01 - 3 6
1 (36-13, 16-3 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 020 000 00 - 2 6
2 (23-25, 10-8 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Chattanooga - Kandice Irwin; Nikki Waters(7) and Brittany
Eason. UNC Greensboro -
Amber Harrell and Eileen Horsmon; Whitney Sirois.
Win-Kandice Irwin(10-0) Loss-Amber Harrell(11-13)
T-2:07 A-0
Weather: 81 degrees, mostly cloudy
Chattanooga 6, UNC Greensboro 2 (May 01, 2010 at Greensboro,
N.C.) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Chattanooga......... 000 051 0 - 6 14
1 (37-13, 17-3 SoCon)
UNC Greensboro...... 200 000 0 - 2 1
1 (23-26, 10-9 SoCon)
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Pitchers: Chattanooga - Brooke Loudermilk and Lynleigh Hurndon. UNC
Greensboro - Cory Mattson;
Raeanne Hanks(5); Amber Harrell(7) and Whitney Sirois.
Win-Brooke Loudermilk(16-10) Loss-Cory Mattson(10-12)
T-2:00 A-112
HR UTC - Tia Blosser (5); Jessica Traxler (3).
HR UNCG - Eileen Horsmon (5).
- UNCG -