MOBILE, Ala. -- Junior pitcher and first baseman Michelle Fuzzard continued her strong return from knee surgery Saturday to help the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team win 4-2 over the host team at the South Alabama Mardi Gras Tournament.

Fuzzard was the starter for the Lady Mocs (5-3) and later returned to the pitching circle to take over for reliever Kandice Irwin, pitching a total of 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out four. She also contributed to the win by hitting a monster home run over the scoreboard in left center field. The blast, estimated at more than 325 feet, gave UTC a 3-0 lead in the third inning and turned out to be the winning run.

The Lady Mocs opened the scoring with two runs in the second inning when first baseman Kasey Tydingco walked and scored on a double by right fielder Della Harrison, who later scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Natalie Powers.

Tydingco's homer in the fifth inning pushed the UTC lead to 4-0.

Fuzzard kept the game scoreless through the fifth inning, when Irwin relieved her. South Alabama rallied in the sixth inning, scoring two runs on four hits, before Irwin ended the threat by coaxing a two-out groundout to strand runners on third and second.

In the seventh inning, Irwin gave up two singles to put the tying run on base, but Fuzzard returned and struck out the next two batters to wrap up the win for UTC.

The Lady Mocs faced UT-Martin in a late game Saturday night and will wrap up the tournament today with a game against Southeast Louisiana.