May 1, 2004
Chattanooga Sweeps Furman Softball, Claims SoCon Regular Season Title
Greenville, S.C. -- The Chattanooga Lady Mocs rallied from a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 victory in game two to sweep Saturday's softball doubleheader and clinch the Southern Conference regular season title. The 4-3 nightcap victory, coupled with a 2-1 win in game one, stretched Chattanooga's winning streak to 17 games.
In game two, Melissa Ramirez delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle in the top of the eighth inning to drive home Jeannie Cochran for a 4-3 win.
After the Lady Mocs opened up a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Jessica Matthews doubled off of the left field wall to score Sarah Scott in the bottom of the first to knot the game at 1-1.
With the game still tied in the bottom of the third, Kristin White opened the inning with a double to right center. After moving to third on LaKerah Barr's groundout, White scored on a single to center by Scott. Matthews followed two batters later with a double down the left field line to plate Scott and give Furman a 3-1 lead.
The Lady Mocs started their comeback in the top of the fifth. Leslie Barron singled to lead off the inning and was thrown out at second when Robyn Johnson reached on a fielder's choice. Grace Pickett followed with a single off of Furman starter Erica Nesselroad to give Chattanooga runners at first and second with one out. After a wild pitch moved the runners up 60 feet, Amanda Hoiness provided a sacrifice fly to right scoring Johnson. Stefani Thomas singled up the middle to plate Pickett and tie the game at 3-3.
Cochran led off the eighth reaching on a Joni Lockridge error and advanced to second on a groundout. Ramirez followed with her game-winning single for the final 4-3 margin.
Lacey Swarthout (25-15) entered the game in relief of starter Brittney Whittier to earn her second win of the day. Swarthout limited Furman to only three hits in 5.1 innings of scoreless relief. Eight different Lady Mocs recorded a safety led by Cochran's 2-for-5 effort.
Rachel Henley (11-21) suffered her second loss of the afternoon for Furman after pitching two innings in relief. Henley surrendered an unearned run while striking out three.
Matthews paced the Lady Paladin offense in a losing effort registering three hits, including two doubles and two RBI.
In game one, Chattanooga scored two fourth inning runs and held off a seventh inning rally by Furman to take a 2-1 win.
Hoiness delivered and RBI single and the Lady Mocs plated a second run on a Lady Paladin error to take a 2-0 lead.
Matthews led off the Furman seventh with a single down the left field line. After moving to second on Lockridge's sacrifice bunt, Matthews adavneced to third on a two-out single by Scott. Valerie Cross trimmed the lead in half with a single to center, but Swarthout struck out White to end the game.
Swarthout tossed a complete game allowing one run on five hits while striking out eight to take the win. Teri Herbert and Hoiness each registered two hits for Chattanooga.
Henley, despite allowing just one earned run and striking out 11 batters, suffered the loss for Furman. Cross went 2-for-3 with and RBI to lead Furman offensively.
Furman (14-44, 6-11 SoCon) returns to action Sunday when it hosts Chattanooga in finale of the three-game series at Pepsi Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.