The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team went 1-1 in the second day of its Frost Classic at Warner Park, just as it did Friday, but Saturday’s outcome had to feel better.
It started out worse, however. The Mocs had won their first game Friday but were trailing 4-1 midway through the fourth inning Saturday against Miami University (OH).
Then came a 10-run at-bat and a six-inning 13-5 win, followed by a respectable showing against 18th-ranked Kentucky in a 6-2 loss. The Mocs got two hits off former Soddy-Daisy star Kelsey Nunley, including a first-inning homer by Jordan Fortel, after UK pitchers had thrown no-hitters or one-hitters their previous five games.
Earlier, Kentucky (13-2) beat Eastern Illinois 9-1 on a one-hitter.
The tournament ends today with UTC (10-4) facing Northern Kentucky at 1:30 in Frost Stadium.
Against Miami, Mocs middle infielders Criket Blanco and Alyssa Taylor were each 3-for-4 with three and two RBIs, Fortel was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Ashley Conner homered andshe and Jesslyn Stockard each batted in two runs.
Fortel allowed nine hits as the pitcher against the Redhawks (4-4). Cori Jennings allowed six hits and six runs, but only three earned, against Kentucky.
* Delta State 5-8, Lee 4-2: At Cleveland, Miss., the Lady Statesmen improved to 16-4, 8-0 in the Gulf South Conference, with the doubleheader sweep. Stevie Baird was 2-for-3 and Courtney Crawford 1-for-2, each with an RBI and a run, in the first game for Lee (9-9, 2-6), when Lexie Dean and Hallie Davis each went 2-for-4. Davis was 2-for-3 in game two, when Amanda Lynn was 3-for-4 and scored twice and Emily Dagnan was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
* Bryan 5-3, Bluefield 0-0: At Dayton, Sarah Hunley and Kaitie Sims combined on a five-hitter with seven strikeouts in the first game and Sims pitched a four-hitter with nine strikeouts in game two for the Lady Lions.
Mariam Wood was 2-for-3 with a homer and three runs scored and Lacye Walker and Olivia Gore each was 3-for-4 in the first game for Bryan, Walker with two doubles and two RBIs and Gore with one of each. Becca Zimmerman also had an RBI in that game and was 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs in the rematch. Leslie Nunnelly also was 1-for-2 and had the other RBI.
Vols fall 1-0
Shaliyah Geathers from Chattanooga had one of 14th-ranked Tennessee’s four hits in a 1-0 loss Saturday to No. 15 Arizona in the Easton Bama Bash in Tuscaloosa, and she was robbed of another hit by the Wildcats’ first baseman with runners on third and second base in the first inning.
Rainey Gaffin pitched six innings of relief for the Vols (9-4) with 10 strikeouts and only one hit allowed. Arizona’s run came on a first-inning homer by Mandie Perez of Erin Gabriel.