Softball Lady Mocs sweep Eastern Illinois

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team extended its winning streak to six games Thursday by sweeping a nonconference doubleheader with Eastern Illinois. The Lady Mocs rallied for a 3-2 win in eight innings before blowing out the Panthers 12-4 in five innings.

UTC (18-7) fell behind in both games, and Kandice Irwin (3-0) got both pitching wins in relief.

In game one, Lady Mocs starter Brooke Loudermilk rolled through the first six innings with a 1-0 lead on a Nikki Waters home run before giving up two runs in the top of the seventh inning while recording only one out. Irwin came on and struck out four of the five batters she faced.

Jenni Martin tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a pinch-hit RBI double to send the game into extra innings, and Lyndsey Stiles knocked in Kasey Tydingco for the winning run in the eighth.

In the second game, UTC again took an early 1-0 edge, but Waters and Irwin gave up four runs in the top of the second innning. The Lady Mocs roared back with three runs in the third inning before scoring four runs each in the fourth and fifth and end the game.

Stiles continued her strong day at the plate in the second game, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Waters hit her second homer of the day to lead off the fifth inning. Waters, Kaiti Kelley and Tiffany Baker each had two RBIs, and Stiles, Lauren Flores, Sara Poteat and Lynleigh Hurndon each scored twice in the second game.

UTC will play two games Saturday at Belmont, beginning at 1 p.m.

Flames top Temple

Lee University beat Tennessee Temple 14-1 in college baseball Thursday at Engel Stadium.

Tanner Moore and Junior Rodriguez each homered and drove in three runs for the Flames (20-6), and leadoff man Seth Walker was 5-for-5 with two RBIs and four runs scored. Max Harvell was 2-for-2, J.J. Costantino was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs and Moore and Trey Burstrom each was 2-for-4 and scored twice.

Temple got only five hits off Jaime Harper (1-0) and Josh Albers.

n Knox 8, Sewanee 2: At Winter Haven, Fla., the Knox College Prairie Fire took advantage of unearned runs to defeat Sewanee 8-2 in the Russ-Matt Invitational baseball tournament Thursday.

Chris Mauro homered and singled, Michael Joseph doubled and singled and Taylor Irwin had three singles for Sewanee (5-11). Starting pitcher Logan Ray gave up only two earned runs in 7 2/3 innings and struck out 10 batters.

Upcoming Events