CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The UNCG softball team rallied back from a 4-0 deficit but came up just short against Chattanooga, 5-4, in the series finale Sunday at Frost Stadium.

The Spartans dropped to 12-12, 0-3 in conference play. Chattanooga improved to 20-8 and is 3-0 in SoCon action.

Nicole Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) took the loss in relief after throwing five innings and allowed just one earned run. Freshman lefty Cori Jennings improved to 9-4 after holding the Spartans to just two hits in five relief innings.

Senior Tatiana Alcala (Oxnard, Calif./Pacifica) was 2-for-3 at the plate. Junior Lindsay Thomas (Irvine, Calif./Northwood) went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run.

Nicole Thomas went 0-for-3 at the plate snapping a 16-game hitting streak that tied Aisha Figueroa's streak in 2013. N. Thomas also didn't reach base on a walk or a hit for the first game this season ending a 23-game streak.

Chattanooga jumped ahead with a four-run first inning off four hits to take a 4-0 lead against the Spartans. Sam Taylor singled to left field to start the frame and JJ Hamill reached off a fielder's choice. The Mocs loaded the bases off a walk from Sara Beth Roberts and Nicole Osterman lined a RBI single up the middle. Cricket Blanco gave Chattanooga a 3-0 lead after a two-run single and Anyssa Robles had a RBI sacrifice fly to score the fourth run.

UNCG answered with a four-run second inning thanks to a two out three-run home run from Lindsay Thomas. Sophomore Tory Wright (Potomac Falls, Va./Dominion) had a infield single to start the inning. After a fielder's choice, Alcala laid down a bunt single to put runners on first and third. With two outs, freshman Gabrielle Cubbage (Felton, Del./Lake Forest) battled to a 3-2 count and laced a RBI single to cut the lead to 4-1. Lindsay Thomas followed with her third home run of the season to tie the game at 4-4.

The Mocs regained the lead off a RBI sacrifice fly from Cricket Blanco in the fifth inning. Roberts and Osterman worked back-to-back walks with one out. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and Blanco followed with the RBI sacrifice fly to left field to make it 5-4 Chattanooga.

The Spartans had the tying runner at second base in the seventh inning with one out but Jennings was able to induce a strikeout and a fly out to finish the victory.

The Blue and Gold will face Elon Wednesday, March 25 at 5 p.m. in a mid-week single game on the road.

Be sure to follow all updates about the UNCG softball team on www.uncgspartans.com or on twitter @UNCGsports/@UNCGsoftball.