After rewriting the record book on the road, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team is back home at Jim Frost Stadium tonight to open a three-game Southern Conference series against Western Carolina.
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., and the series will conclude Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon.
UTC went 5-2 the past two weeks in trips to Belmont in Nashville, Samford in Birmingham and Georgia State in Atlanta. The Lady Mocs are 23-9 and will be trying to extend their perfect SoCon record (6-0) against the Catamounts (4-22, 0-8).
"We're just looking to keep playing the way we've been playing," sophomore Jenni Martin said after practice Thursday. "We want to to what we can this weekend, which is win, and send a message to the rest of the conference."
Since they last played at Frost, three players took over the top spots in some key statistical categories.
Senior pitcher Brooke Loudermilk now holds the UTC career strikeout record with 794 after passing Beth Alexander last weekend. Junior pitcher Kandice Irwin recorded her eighth save of the season against Georgia State on Wednesday to tie the SoCon single-season record, and she needs seven more saves to match the NCAA record held by Mallory Aldred of Canisius.
Junior third baseman Tiffany Baker hit two home runs against Georgia State on Wednesday and now holds the UTC career record with 27.
UTC coach Frank Reed said he isn't as concerned with the individual records as he is with the team's performance as a whole.
"Honestly, I had sort of put the records to the back of my mind," Reed said. "I'm just worrying about trying to get some wins."
UTC had key contributions in the road wins from players coming off the bench. Martin and junior Della Harrison had pinch-hit RBIs against Samford, and Harrison had her first collegiate home run with a grand slam in the series finale in Birmingham.
Martin said she thrives on the pressure of pinch hitting when her teammates need her most.
"I love the pressure of being in that situation, so I guess I just know that's my role," she said. "If that's what going to help the team, then that's my job."
With a struggling WCU team looking for its first conference victory, Reed wants to keep the Lady Mocs' focus on playing well every game and not on their undefeated SoCon record.
"If they feel any pressure, it's pressure I'm putting on them to be consistent," he said. "All we ask for them to do is be the best they can be every day."