CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – Reigning Southern Conference Player of the Week
Bailey Huneycutt collected a team-best two hits including a three-run double, but Chattanooga held on for a 4-3 win to clinch the Southern Conference series against Western Carolina on Friday afternoon.
Chattanooga improves to 19-17 overall and 2-4 in SoCon games. WCU drops to 13-19 and 3-6.
Chattanooga plated two runs in the first inning on consecutive singles by Acelynn Sellers and Jayce Purdy. Purdy drove home two more runs in the third inning with a one-out double.
WCU threatened in the fifth inning as
Savannah Baldwin led off with a single. Following a pair of flyouts,
Brooklynn Brewington worked a walk and
Natalie Henry was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Huneycutt. Huneycutt cleared the bases with a double to get the Catamounts on the board. Huneycutt was stranded at second base as a groundout ended the inning.
In the WCU seventh, a pair of one-out walks brought the heart of the Catamount order to the plate, but a popout and strikeout ended the game.
Both teams had opportunities to add runs as WCU left eight runners on base and Chattanooga stranded six.
Huneycutt finished 2-for-3 with a single, double, and three RBI. Baldwin and
Jeralynn Wells both recorded a single.
Makenzie Martin (2-3) took the loss, surrendering four runs, three earned, on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
Jayme Eilers threw two innings of scoreless and hitless relief, walking one batter with three strikeouts.
Purdy finished 2-for-3 with a single, double, and three RBI to lead the Mocs. Sellers was 1-for-2 with a single and RBI while Addy Keylon went 1-for-3 with a single.
Peja Goold (7-6) earned the win, allowing three runs on four hits with five walks and seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Alyssa Lavdis picked up the final two outs for her first save of the year.
The Catamounts are idle until April 18 when they face former SoCon archrival Appalachian State at 4 p.m.
For the latest information on Catamount softball, follow @catamounts and @catamountsb on Twitter or go to
www.CatamountSports.com.
