Softball Lady Mocs lose twice

The offense started out well for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team Friday in opening the 2013 season at the National Training Center Invitational in Clermont. Fla., but defensive miscues led to two losses.

The Lady Mocs built leads in both games before losing 6-5 to Fordham and 6-3 to Southern Illinois.

Against Fordham, senior second baseman Sara Poteat picked up where she left off last season, going 3-for-4 with a stolen base and three runs scored to lead UTC to an 11-hit performance. Senior first baseman Kasey Tydingco, designated player Anyssa Robles and redshirt freshman Jenny Garcia each had two hits in the opener.

The Lady Mocs had a 5-3 lead going to the bottom of the seventh inning, but Fordham rallied with three runs on two hits off freshman pitcher Rachel Albritton, who took the loss, and an error by right fielder Stephanie Rieck.

Against Southern Illinois, UTC again built a 3-0 lead through three innings with RBI hits by Garcia and Kaiti Dutton, but the Salukis scored two runs in the fifth and four in the sixth with two errors resulting in three of the runs being unearned.

Sophomore pitcher Taylor Deason took the loss in the second game, allowing three runs (two earned) on a hit and a walk while recording only one out.

UTC will be back in action today against Long Island University at 11 a.m., followed by a matchup with Virginia Tech at 4 p.m.