UTC shortshop Jessica Traxler had a two-run double in the Lady Mocs' extra-inning loss to Troy on Saturday at the Red and Blue Classic in Oxford, Miss.
Photo by Nate Blyth/UTCOXFORD, Miss. -- For the second day in a row, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team built a comfortable lead only to see it all slip away late in the game.
The Lady Mocs built an 8-0 lead through four innings at the Red and Blue Classic, but Troy took advantage of poor UTC defense to tie the game in the fifth inning and went on to a 9-8 win in eight innings.
Later Saturday, the Lady Mocs did let a five-run lead hold up for a 5-3 win over host Ole Miss. Friday, UTC squandered a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning before losing 9-6 to the Rebels.
UTC struck early against Troy with single runs in the first and second innnigs and appeared to be putting the game out of reach with a six-run fourth highlighted by two-run doubles by shortstop Jessica Traxler and right fielder Nicole Osterman.
Freshman pitcher Taylor Deason was in control early, allowing a single hit through the first four innings.
Needing three outs to close out a run-rule victory in the fifth, though, Deason loaded the bases with no outs on two hits and a fielder's choice. Troy then took advantage of two errors by third baseman Sarah Beth Roberts and four more hits against Deason and senior Michelle Fuzzard to tie the game. Roberts had all three UTC errors against Troy, which committed five errors.
Fuzzard held Troy scoreless in the sixth and seventh before giving up the winning RBI single to Michelle Hewett.
Deason allowed seven runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks, while Fuzzard took the loss by giving up two unearned runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings.
UTC second baseman Sara Poteat continued her strong work at the plate, going 2-for 3 with an RBI, two runs and a stolen base, and Fuzzard also had two hits in the loss.
The Lady Mocs outhit Ole Miss 13-5 as Cheyenne Willis went 2-for-4 with a home run and Poteat was 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Osterman also was 2-for-4.
Deason struck out a pinch hitter to preserve the win with the tying runs on third and second base in the final inning. She allowed five hits and one earned run while striking out 11 batters.
Lady Flames win
At Panama City Beach, Fla., Lee University improved to 15-1 for the season with a 4-3 win over Reinhardt and advanced to the Gold Bracket of the NFCA NAIA Leadoff Classic.
Kelsey Barnes was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs for the Lady Flames, and Ana Coscorrosa was 2-for-2 with an RBI and matched Jennifer Ringle with two runs scored. Pitcher Brittany Balough went to 8-0.
Former Calhoun High School standout Maddie Monroe pitched an eight-hitter for Reinhardt (7-7).