The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team rallied late again Sunday to beat Appalachian State 4-2 in 10 innings to win two of three games in a Southern Conference weekend series.
The victory keeps the Lady Mocs (35-13, 15-3 SoCon) three games ahead of Elon in losses at the top of the SoCon standings. Elon defeated Samford 8-4 on Sunday to keep pace with UTC.
Junior pitcher Nikki Waters started the game for UTC and gave up single runs in the third and fourth innings on RBI singles by Katie Boyd and McKenzie Phillips to put Appalachain State ahead 2-0.
Much like she did Saturday, Lady Mocs relief pitcher Kandice Irwin came on and pitched the final seven innings of the game and kept the Mountaineers scoreless.
UTC coach Frank Reed said Irwin’s recent success has been impressive.
“We have seen her confidence grow in each outing,” Reed said. “I was leaning toward starting her. I was just worried about who would come in relief after her. … She has been a workhorse for us.”
The Lady Mocs tied the game in the sixth inning when Waters singled and pinch hitter Della Harrison drew a two-out walk to bring Brittany Eason up to pinch hit. Eason’s two-out single against App State starter Hannah Dow drove home Waters and Harrison to tie the score 2-2 and sent the game into extra innings.
“It felt like every other at bat even though I was a pinch hitter,” Eason said of her crucial hit to keep UTC in the game. “We were down by two and had to score the runs that were on base. I was able to put the ball in play and score the two runs that tied the game.”
Reed said clutch pinch-hit performances by Harrison and Eason were crucial in the game.
“Della had a big walk that gave us an opportunity,” Reed said. “Obviously, we went with kids that could tie it up with one swing or a base hit. That was what Eason did and it was big giving us a chance to get back in it. Anytime that you are trying to play catch-up ball in extra innings and you find a way to win, it is really remarkable.”
UTC took the lead in the 10th inning when relief pitcher Frannie Seader intentionally walked Tia Blosser and Tiffany Baker behind placed runner Kasey Tydingco to load the bases. RBI groundouts by Waters and Lauren Flores gave UTC a 4-2 lead without recording a hit.
Eason added to her strong performance in the bottom of the 10th when she threw out Appalachian State speedster Sara Rappe at third for the first out to set up Irwin for the victory.
Softball notes
Former Ooltewah standout Jessica Chernak went 2-for-4 with an RBI double in the seventh inning to help Austin Peay to a 5-3 win over Eastern Illinois in extra innings on Sunday.
Last week, Chernak hit her first collegiate home run in a loss to Morehead State.
Valdosta State’s Holly Satterfield pitched a complete game one-hitter on Sunday to lead the Blazers to a 5-0 win over West Florida in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday.
Satterfield, a former Hixson player, struck out two and walked two in the victory.