May 7, 2009

Box Score

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - No. 8 seed Western Carolina softball (12-34) fell into the elimination bracket of the 2009 Southern Conference Tournament with a 2-1 loss to No. 1 seed Chattanooga (27-22) Thursday. The Catamounts play Georgia Southern at 5:15 p.m. today, and if they lose, are out of the tournament.

Senior hurler Lauren Ross was stellar on the mound, after missing the last three weeks of the regular season, due to an injury suffered on April 15 against Appalachian State. Ross gave up two runs in the top of the first inning and tossed five scoreless innings, to keep Western Carolina in the game. She ended the contest allowing five hits and striking out five, falling to 6-9 on the season.

Western Carolina's offense stymied and was never able to give Ross the run support. The Catamounts stranded 12 runners on base, and twice had bases loaded, but was unable to capitalize.

Stephanie Beatty's RBI single produced the only run for Western Carolina in the game. The blooper over the shortstops head allowed Danielle Reese to score after she reached on a Chattanooga miscue.

Beatty has been on fire in the first two games of the tournament, hitting .857. She is 6-of-7 with two runs scored, two RBI and a double.