March 30, 2008

Box Score |   

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - It took two days and three rain delays before Western Carolina softball (6-23, 0-9 SoCon) was swept by Chattanooga (25-14, 6-0 SoCon) 3-1, 7-4, 4-2 in the three-game Southern Conference series, completing on Sunday at Frost Stadium.

One pitch was all Chattanooga needed to complete the suspended game from Saturday. Pinch hitter Keely Torgsion, who had a count of two balls and two strikes when the game was halted, ground out to the second baseman to end the game. Western Carolina lost 3-1.

Game two of the three-game series began 15 minutes after the completion of the suspended game. The Catamounts took an early lead when the club scored in the second inning. Back-to-back singles by Mollie Fowler and Casey Camp got the rally started and Fowler scored the first run of the game thanks to a sacrifice fly to left field by Jamie Swank.

Chattanooga took the lead in the game when the Lady Mocs posted three runs in the bottom of the third inning. The Lady Mocs added a single run in the fourth inning.

Western Carolina tied the game in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Stephanie Beatty hit a single to right field and moved to second on a passed ball. Heather Pritchard singled up the middle and moved to second placing runners on second and third. Fowler hit her second homerun of the year, as the three run shot tied the game at four.

Starting pitcher Michelle Tating was replaced by Lilly McDonagh in the middle of the fifth inning. She got the Catamounts out of the inning but gave up the winning runs for Chattanooga in the sixth inning. The Lady Mocs scored three runs off McDonagh before she was replaced by Lauren Ross, and sealed the game for Chattanooga.

McDonagh took the loss in the game falling to 1-7 on the season, allowing three runs on three hits. Tating got the no decision allowing four runs on eight hits and striking out four. Fowler led the team offensively going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.

For the first time in the series, Chattanooga took the early lead when it scored one run in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, starting pitcher Ross gave up a walk to Lynleigh Hurndon and she scored when Ashlan Clarkson hit a single to centerfield and an errant Catamount throw allowed Hurndon to score off a Western Carolina error.

Another costly Catamount error gave Chattanooga its second run of the game in the fourth inning. Chattanooga's Toni Hutchison led off the inning with a double and she scored thanks to a fielder's choice by Katie Blevins and Western Carolina's second miscue of the game.

Western Carolina did avoid the shutout scoring a run in the sixth inning. Swank drew a lead-off walk to start the inning and with one out, freshman Amber Hawkins hit an RBI single to right field to score Swank.

Chattanooga added two runs in the sixth inning.

Fowler hit a lead-off homerun over the left field wall to start the seventh inning. It was Fowler's second homerun of the day, and she ended the series with three hits, two homeruns, four RBI and three runs scored.

Ross tossed the complete game and takes the loss falling to 1-12 on the season. She allowed five hits, two earned runs and struck out one. Hawkins and Beatty each had two hits in the game.

Western Carolina returns to action Thursday when the Catamounts travel to Atlanta, Ga. to take on Georgia Tech. First pitch for the single game with the Yellow Jackets is set for 4 p.m.