Chattanooga softball beats ETSU Sunday, claims series win

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. — Chattanooga won 8-4 Sunday morning at ETSU to claim a 2-1 series win over the Bucs. The Mocs improve to 21-18 overall and 4-5 in Southern Conference play. ETSU is 11-29 overall and 4-18 against the league.

The Mocs batted around in the first and put up six runs on four hits in the inning, grabbing the early lead. UTC was 7-for-27 for the game with eight RBI.

Kaili Phillips who led off the game with a walk, reached second safely on a fielder’s choice back to the pitcher, putting Emily Coltharp on first. Olivia Lipari walked to load the bases for Acelynn Sellers. Her single to right center plated the Mocs first run of the game.

Coltharp was thrown out at home on a force on the next at bat but the bases remained loaded with Presley Williamson up to bat. The designated player hit into left center scoring two runs, putting the Mocs up 3-0 on just their second hit.

Addy Keylon hit a single to right field, driving in Purdy to make it 4-0. With Williamson now on third and Keylon stole second and Riley Kokinda walked to load the bases again.

Anna Dovey came in to pinch hit and dropped an RBI single into left field stretching the lead to 5-0.

Phillips came in to bat for the second time in the inning and hit a sac fly to deep center scoring Keylon for the Mocs sixth run of the inning.

ETSU cut into the lead with a two RBI double in the third, but the Mocs responded with another two runs, pushing the lead to 8-2 in the fourth.

Phillips again reached without a swing of the bat after getting hit by the first pitch to start the inning. As in the first, Phillips reached second on a fielder’s choice that saw Coltharp make it to first.

With one out, Sellers had an RBI single to left center and Purdy followed with a ground out to third, scoring Coltharp to make it 8-2.

ETSU scored another pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Mocs lead in half, but that was all they would get.

Taylor Long got the start and went three innings with three strikeouts. Brooke Parrott came in at the top of the fourth to pick up her fourth win of the season. Both pitchers gave up a pair of runs and four hits. Parrott struck out two and each walked one.

The Mocs will close out the non-conference slate Wednesday at Austin Peay. The game is set to start at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time.