UTC tops Northwestern and loses to UMass

Friday, January 1, 1904

photo UTC second baseman Sara Poteat slides into third base against Northwestern Saturday in Clearwater, Fla.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team's day in Clearwater, Fla., didn't end nearly as well as it started Saturday. The Lady Mocs beat Northwestern 6-2 in the USF "The Game" tournament but then lost a four-run lead and fell 12-11 to Massachusetts.

The Lady Mocs scored in every inning except the first against Northwestern. Senior shortstop Jessica Traxler led the UTC offense by going 2-for-2 with a home run, a double and three runs scored.

Freshman Nicole Osterman was 2-for-3, and first baseman Kasey Tydingco tripled in the win.

Freshman pitcher Taylor Deason (11-4) gave up seven hits and four walks but only one earned run.

Against UMass, UTC scored three runs in the first and three again in the fifth to build a 6-2 lead, but UMass scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 6.

The Lady Mocs answered in the top of the sixth with five runs on five hits and two UMass errors, with Tydingco delivering the big hit -- a three-run double. UMass punched back in the bottom of the inning, however, with five runs on four hits. MIchelle Fuzzard issued back-to-back walks allow the tying run to score, but she struck out Anna Kelley with the bases loaded to end the inning.

After holding UTC (17-10) in the top of the seventh, UMass (10-8) got a leadoff walk from Sara Plourde and three consecutive singles for the win. No. 3 batter Katie Bettencourt had the RBI hit after the two players ahead of her in the lineup each got her fourth hit of the game.

Tydingco and senior Vivian Morimoto each went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, and Morimoto homered in the fifth inning for her team-leading ninth homer of the season. Junior second baseman Sara Poteat and freshman Sarah Beth Roberts each was 3-for-5 against UMass, Poteat scoring three runs, and freshman center fielder Cheyenne Willis was 2-for-5 and scored twice.

UTC will wrap up play in Florida today with a game against Illinois before returning to Southern Conference play next weekend with a three-game series at Appalachian State.