UTC Splits On Opening Day Of Frost Softball Classic

  • Friday, February 23, 2018
On a beautiful, sunny day at Frost Stadium for the opening day of the Frost Classic, the Chattanooga Mocs softball team earned a split after downing IUPUI 11-3 and falling to Eastern Illinois 4-3.

After the split, the Mocs move to 5-6 on the season with three games remaining in the Frost Classic. IUPUI fell to 2-5 while EIU improved to an impressive 9-3.

Chattanooga returns to action tomorrow with two games in the Frost Classic, the first one coming against Southeast Missouri State at 1:30 p.m.
and the second against UT Martin at 4 p.m.

Both games will be broadcasted LIVE on the SoCon Digital Network, courtesy of GoMocs.com. All links can be found on the schedule page or at the tournament central page.

Full game recaps can be found below.

Chattanooga 11, IUPUI 3 (5)

IUPUI struck early in the top of the first when a Mocs throwing error allowed a runner to score with two outs.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Chattanooga scored four runs on four hits to build a three run lead. The inning started with three-straight singles from J.J. Hamill, Lexee Lamoree and Aly Walker, loading the bases with no outs.

Emma Sturdivant drew a four pitch walk to bring in the first run before Ashley Conners ground-out gave the Mocs a 2-1 advantage. Amanda Beltran followed with a double to the left-center gap, scoring a pair of runs and extending the UTC lead to 4-1.

IUPUI would cut their deficit to two runs, 4-2, in the top of the fourth when they roped a pair of doubles to the left field. Heidi Hall came on in relief of starter Allison Swinford with two outs in the inning and induced a soft liner to end the Jaguars threat.

The Mocs answered with six runs in the bottom half of the inning on six hits. Hayleigh Weissenbach started the inning with a double to right center and scored a batter later on a Hamill double. Conner picked up her second RBI ground-out of the game ahead of a Beltran RBI single through the left side.

Freshman Aubbie Collake, in her first collegiate at-bat, roped a two out, pinch hit two-RBI double to the right center fence, extending the UTC lead to 10-2. IUPUI scored an unearned run in the top of the fifth to fend off the mercy rule before Sturdivant’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning clinched an 11-3 mercy rule win.

Chattanooga belted 15 hits, six going for extra bases, and featured five different players finishing with multi-hit games. Walker finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored while Beltran ended 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Sturdivant went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two walks. Weissenbach and Hamill both went 2-for-3 and combined for three runs scored and an RBI (Hamill).

Allison Swinford (2-1) earned the win in the circle by going 3.2 innings while allowing just four hits, two runs (one earned) and striking out three. Hall tossed 1.1 innings of relief, giving up just two hits and one unearned run.

Eastern Illinois 4, Chattanooga 3

Chattanooga built an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first after J.J. Hamill doubled and later scored on an Emma Sturdivant single through the right side.

The Mocs held on to the 1-0 lead until the top of the fourth when EIU rallied with two outs. Hudson retired the first two hitters, but a walk and single allowed for a pinch-hit three run homerun from Kendyl McKeough, giving the Panthers a 3-1 edge.

UTC answered right back with a pair of two-out runs in the bottom half. Aubbie Collake, making her first career start, roped a double down the left field line to bring in a run, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Brook Womack followed with an RBI-bloop single behind the pitcher’s circle to tie things up at 3-3.

Eastern Illinois rallied again with two outs, this time coming in the top half of the final frame. The Panthers knocked in the go-ahead run with a single up the middle that was bobbled in the outfield, allowing the runner to score without a contest. UTC came up short in the bottom of the inning and fell 4-3.

The Mocs only registered five hits in the loss. Hamill had the lone multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Sturdivant, Walker, Collake and Womack all finished 1-for-3 and combined for three RBIs and two runs scored.

Celie Hudson (2-3) pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits, four runs (all earned) while striking out two.
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