UTC rallies to rout Catamounts

CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team wrapped up the regular season in fine fashion on Sunday afternoon with a 14-6 rout of Southern Conference foe Western Carolina to finish off a weekend sweep.

With the win the Lady Mocs finish the season with a record of 38-12, and 20-3 in the SoCon. The 20 league wins is the most conference wins in a season in the 18-year history of SoCon softball.

UTC actually trailed 5-4 heading into the sixth inning before breaking the game open with 10 runs on nine hits in the top of the sixth, including home runs by Vivian Morimoto, Jenni Martin and Michelle Fuzzard.

Fuzzard wrapped up a strong weekend at the plate by going 4-for-5 with five RBIs against the Catamounts (19-33, 3-12 SoCon). For the three-game series, Fuzzard went 10-for-13 with two home runs and 12 RBIs.

Her five RBIs Sunday boosted her season total to 67 RBIs to break the Southern Conference record, which had been 64.

Freshman pitcher Caroline Curran got her first collegiate start on Sunday and went 1 2/3 innings and allowed five runs before being relieved by senior Kandice Irwin, who picked up the win to improve her record to 12-3.

Morimoto went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Tiffany Baker, Della Harrison, Jessica Traxler and Lauren Flores each had a pair of hits as the Lady Mocs had 19 hits in the six-inning victory.

The Lady Mocs will begin postseason play Wednesday in Statesboro, Ga., when they will open play as the No. 1 seed in the Southern Conference tournament.

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