UTC Softball Drops Doubleheader to Spartans
The Chattanooga Mocs’ softball team dropped two contests, 9-4 and 5-3 to the UNCG Spartans in Greensboro, N.C. on Saturday afternoon.
Chattanooga dropped to 21-17 overall and 5-3 in SoCon action, while UNCG improved to 27-11 overall and remained perfect in SoCon play with an 8-0 record.
The Mocs and the Spartans conclude the three-game series tomorrow, April 10 at 1 p.m.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Spartans opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning. Makenna Matthijs singled up the middle to drive in the first run and later scored on a Grace Loftin double off the right center wall.
UNCG expanded its lead with a solo blast in the fourth inning as Jordan Gontram homered over the right field wall, giving the hosts a 3-0 advantage. After the fourth run of the game scored on a wild pitch, the Spartans plated their fifth run on a Samantha Lagrama RBI single.
In the sixth, the Mocs found the run column as Emily Coltharp drove in Gracey Kruse from first with her second career triple. Kailey Snell drove Coltharp in a few pitches later with an infield single, bringing the Mocs within three.
Chattanooga loaded the bases in with one out in the sixth, but UNCG’s Morgan Scott retired the next two batters to get out of the jam.
The Spartans got the two runs back quickly with back-to-back base hits to drive in two runs. One batter later, Matthijs went yard, giving UNCG a 9-2 lead.
Down to the team’s final out, Kailey Snell hit her first career home run in the seventh, cutting the deficit to 9-4. Scott ended the rally with her 15th strikeout of the game to close the door.
Izzy Alley got the start for the Mocs and went 3.1 innings, allowing five runs on three hits with five strikeouts. Hannah Wood threw two innings of relief and allowed four runs on seven hits. She walked one and had a strikeout.
Coltharp had a 2-for-3 outing with a walk. Snell joined her with a multi-hit game and drove in three of the team’s four runs.
UNCG’s Scott struck out 15 in a complete-game victory. She allowed four runs, two earned on five hits with a pair of walks on 141 pitches.
Matthijs led the offensive charge for UNCG with three hits and three RBI. She also scored twice.
UTC 4, UNCG 9 | BOX
SCORING PLAYS
B1st: Makenna Matthijs singled up the middle, RBI; Delaney Cumbie scored (UNCG 1-0).
B1st: Grace Loftin doubled to right center, RBI; Makenna Matthijs scored (UNCG 2-0).
B4th: Jordan Gontram homered to right center, RBI (UNCG 3-0).
B4th: Brooklyn Maxwell scored on a wild pitch (UNCG 4-0).
B4th: Samantha Lagrama singled down the third base line, RBI; Hannah Kincer scored. (UNCG 5-0).
T6th: Emily Coltharp tripled to right field, RBI; Gracey Kruse scored (UNCG 5-1).
T6th: Kailey Snell singled to second base, RBI; Emily Coltharp scored (UNCG 5-2).
B6th: Jordan Shipley doubled to left center, RBI; Ashley Gontram scored (UNCG 6-2).
B6th: Maycin Brown singled up the middle, RBI; Jordan Shipley scored (UNCG 7-2).
B6th: Makenna Matthijs homered to center field, 2 RBI; Maycin Brown scored. (UNCG 9-2).
T7th: Kailey Snell homered to left field, 2 RBI; Bailey Myers scored (UNCG 9-4).
WP: Morgan Scott (16-7)
LP: Izzy Alley (5-8)
GAME TWO RECAP
Both teams began the first two innings with the leadoff hitter reaching base, but neither squad could get a run across. In the third, the Spartans got the scoring started with a Grace Loftin two-run homer.
In the fifth, Chattanooga began to battle back. The scoring began with back-to-back doubles from Jayce Purdy and Gracey Kruse to cut the Mocs’ deficit in half. With one out, Kailey Snell drove in Kruse from third with a fielder’s choice to shortstop.
The Spartans got their runs back in the fifth on a solo shot just fair down the left field line. A few batters later, Loftin drove in another run with a double to the right center gap.
Chattanooga loaded the bases in the sixth and capitalized with a bases-loaded hit by pitch. Scott reentered the game in the circle and got out of her second sixth-inning bases-loaded jam of the day. She completed the five-out save with a three up, three down seventh inning.
Brooke Parrott got the start and went five innings, allowing five runs on six hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
Coltharp went 2-for-4 with a double, extending her on-base streak to 19 straight games. Purdy logged the other two-hit game for Chattanooga. Acelynn Sellers and Kruse also doubled in the contest.
UTC 3, UNCG 5 | BOX
SCORING PLAYS
B3rd: Grace Loftin homered to left field, 2 RBI; Makenna Matthijs scored (UNCG 2-0).
T5th: Gracey Kruse doubled to right field, RBI; Jayce Purdy scored (UNCG 2-1).
T5th: Kailey Snell reached on a fielder’s choice, RBI; Gracey Kruse scored (Tied 2-2).
B5th: Delaney Cumbie homered to left, RBI. (UNCG 3-2).
B5th: Grace Loftin doubled to right center, RBI; Maycin Brown scored (UNCG 4-2).
B5th: Grace Loftin scored on a wild pitch. (UNCG 5-2)
T6th: Gracey Kruse hit by pitch, Olivia Lipari scored (UNCG 5-3).
WP: Reese Byrd (9-3)
LP: Brooke Parrott (9-3)
Save: Morgan Scott (1)
