The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga won 9-0 and lost 4-3 in its Southern Conference softball doubleheader Saturday at East Tennessee State University. Celie Hudson pitched her third consecutive shutout in the first game, allowing six hits, and all nine runs came in the sixth inning. Halie Williamson, Amanda Beltran, Hayleigh Weissenbach, Devan Brown, Emily Coltharp and Emma Sturdivant had RBI singles, Morgan Kazerooni an RBI double and Aly Walker a two-run single that made the score 8-0. Walker was 3-for-4 and Coltharp and Sturdivant each was 2-for-4, and Alyssa Coppinger was 2-for-2. Walker hit a three-run homer for the Mocs (30-13, 8-6) in the second game, when Allison Swinford pitched four hitless innings of relief with five strikeouts after ETSU (19-22-2, 5-8) scored four runs off Mariah Ramirez (12-2) in the first three innings.
» Lee University lost 6-3 and 7-5 in Gulf South Conference games at Auburn-Montgomery and is 22-30, 10-18 in league play, going into the series and season finale Sunday.
» Chattanooga State won 8-1, 2-1 and 7-6 and lost 9-0 at Volunteer State in TCCAA games Friday and Saturday, ending the regular season. Cleveland State lost 3-0 and won 9-5 in TCCAA play Saturday at Dyersburg State with two games to go there Sunday.
Baseball
» Rhea County High School and UTC graduate Brainard Cooper had a jersey with his name on it “retired” before South Carolina’s baseball doubleheader on April 20 in recognition of his many years as the diamond Gamecocks’ chief athletic trainer. He retired as the associate AT for baseball and men’s soccer last year and now handles insurance for the Southeastern Conference school’s athletic department. He began working in athletic training there in 1983 as a graduate assistant with Joe Morrison’s football team and became a full-time staff member in 1986. Easter Eve was Brainard Cooper Day at the ballpark, with his family joining him on the field, Jumbotron video tributes from former players (including Jackie Bradley Jr.), coaches and administrators, and a donation for the Brainard Cooper Athletic Training Fellowship. The number on his jersey was 1366, signifying the Gamecocks’ win total while he worked with them.