UTC softball beats UNG Greensboro to take Southern Conference tournament championship

photo The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team celebrates Saturday after beating UNC Greensboro 4-3 in the championship game of the Southern Conference softball tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
photo The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team celebrates Saturday after beating UNC Greensboro 4-3 in the championship game of the Southern Conference softball tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
photo UTC Mocs logo

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team capped an unbeaten run through the Southern Conference tournament with a 4-3 win over tourney host UNC Greensboro to capture the program's first tournament crown and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament since 2011.

UTC survived a 30-minute lightning delay in the sixth inning and a late rally attempt by the Spartans to win the title after finishing second behind Georgia Southern in the regular-season standings.

Sophomore pitcher Katie Henderson pitched in and out of trouble over 5 2/3 innings, starting and ending the game with junior Taylor Deason pitching well for an inning and a third in the middle of the game. Deason was credited with the win, while Henderson picked up the save to secure the championship.

Henderson, a former Silverdale Baptist Academy standout and transfer from Kentucky, was named the tournament's most outstanding player with wins in the first three games of the tournament and the save Saturday. She had 32 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings, and UNCG's two earned runs in the final were the only runs she allowed for the tournament.

Henderson, Jesslyn Stockard, Sarah Beth Roberts and Sam Taylor were named to the all-tournament team.

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