CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Southern Conference leader Chattanooga remained perfect in league play Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader from UNCG by scores of 9-5 and 3-0.
UNCG (17-20, 6-5 SoCon) held an early 2-0 lead in game one and tied it at 5 in the fourth but saw the Lady Mocs (28-9, 10-0 SoCon) rally for the win.
With game one tied at 5, Chattanooga's Tiffany Baker smacked a three-run home run off the scoreboard in left center in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the Lady Mocs ahead to stay. The homer was her 11th of the season. UTC would tack on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on Stephanie Rieck's RBI single.
The Spartans scored a pair of unearned runs in the first inning. Kristen Gabel led off the game with a single to left center and went to third when Chattanooga misplayed Aisha Figueroa's sacrifice attempt, which allowed Figueroa to reach. One out later, Kaitlin Merkt lifted what should have been a sacrifice fly to right field, but the Lady Mocs misplayed that one, as well, allowing Gabel and Figueroa to score.
A stellar defensive play by Gabel preserved the UNCG lead in the bottom half of the frame, as she made a diving catch to rob Kasey Tydinco with two on to end the inning.
Chattanooga took its first lead of the day the following inning, scoring five runs with two outs to take a 5-2 lead. Lyndsey Stiles knocked in the Lady Mocs' first run of the day by beating out an infield single, and Sara Poteat followed with a two-run double to put Chattanooga ahead. Michelle Fuzzard then launched her eighth home run of the season to dead center to make it a five-run outburst before UNCG starter Cory Mattson could stop the bleeding.
Another excellent defensive play by UNCG kept the damage from being worse in the third. With Rieck trying to score from first on Vivian Morimoto's double, Jordan Jewett fired the ball in to Heather Robb, who threw home to nail Rieck at the plate.
UNCG found the answer in the top of the fourth. After Jewett hit a leadoff double to the gap in left center, a groundout moved her to third. Eileen Horsmon then came up and singled up the middle, knocking in Jewett for the Spartans' third run of the afternoon. One out later, senior April Langley hit a two-run homer down the left field line to tie the contest at 5. The homer was the first of Langley's career.
Morimoto led Chattanooga at the plate with three hits. Stiles, Poteat, Rieck and Jessica Traxler had two hits each.
Mattson (8-10) took the loss, allowing eight runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Fuzzard (13-5) picked up her league-best 13th win of the season, allowing five runs (three earned) on four hits in 6 innings. Kandice Irwin struck out the side in the seventh to close out the win for the Lady Mocs.
UNCG couldn't find its offense in game two, as Chattanooga pitcher Nikki Waters limited the Spartans to just two hits and four base-runners total.
Chattanooga picked up an early 1-0 lead on Fuzzard's RBI double in the first, then made it a 3-0 game with two runs in the fourth. The Lady Mocs' first run in that frame came in on a UNCG error, followed by an RBI double from Morimoto.
The Spartans' best scoring chance came in the first inning, when Alex Emeterio was hit by a pitch with two outs and Merkt followed with a single up the middle. Waters got a groundout to end the inning.
UNCG's only other safety of the day came off the bat of Langley, who singled with two down in the fifth.
Waters improved to 7-1 on the season, striking out a career-high 10.
Josie Felix (5-8) took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings. Raeanne Hanks, who worked the final inning and a third in game one, came on to work a scoreless 2 2/3 innings in game two.
Chattanooga's sweep snapped UNCG's streak of three straight league series won. The Spartans will try to avoid the series sweep Sunday, when the teams will square off at 2 p.m. at Frost Stadium.
AGATE
Chattanooga 9, UNCG 5 (Apr 09, 2011 at Chattanooga, Tenn.)
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UNCG................ 200 300 0 - 5 4 0 (17-19, 6-4 SoCon)
Chattanooga......... 050 301 X - 9 14 2 (27-9, 9-0 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Cory Mattson; Raeanne Hanks(5). Chattanooga - Michelle Fuzzard; Kandice Irwin(7).
Win-Michelle Fuzzard(13-5) Loss-Cory Mattson(8-10) T-1:02 A-355
HR UNCG - April Langley (1).
HR UTC - Michelle Fuzzard (8); Tiffany Baker (11).
Chattanooga 3, UNCG 0 (Apr 09, 2011 at Chattanooga, Tenn.)
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UNCG................ 000 000 0 - 0 2 2 (17-20, 6-5 SoCon)
Chattanooga......... 100 200 X - 3 8 0 (28-9, 10-0 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Josie Felix; Raeanne Hanks(4). Chattanooga - Nikki Waters.
Win-Nikki Waters(7-1) Loss-Josie Felix(5-8) T-1:40 A-395
- UNCG -
