It took longer than they might have preferred, but the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team wrapped up a three-game Southern Conference series sweep over Georgia Southern with a 5-4 win in 11 innings on Sunday in Statesboro, Ga.
The game was the longest played by the Lady Mocs this season, and UTC is now 4-1 in extra-inning games.
UTC (31-9, 12-0 SoCon) pounded out 15 hits in the victory, led by second baseman Tia Blosser who was 5-for-6 with two RBIs. Catcher Brittany Eason was 2-for-4 for the Lady Mocs, and outfielder Lyndsey Stiles was 2-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored. In addition, Stiles stole her 20th base for the season and is 20-for-21 in stolen-base attempts.
While pleased with the three-game sweep, UTC coach Frank Reed would have preferred to have seen his team put more runs on the board earlier in the game.
"We could have easily run-ruled them and been out of here in five (innings) with the amount of runners that we left on base," Reed said. "With 15 hits, you can't be upset with your offense, but we just did not get the timely hits.
"It is a win, and especially in the conference every one of them counts. This may end up being a big win at the end of the season."
The Lady Mocs jumped out to a 2-0 lead on RBI singles by Blosser and Tiffany Baker in the third inning. Georgia Southern starter Brianna Streetmon was replaced by Megen Smith the following inning after giving up a pair of two-out singles by Eason and Kasey Tydingco, but UTC couldn't add to their lead.
After a strong start, UTC starter Brooke Loudermilk was lifted with two outs in the fifth inning after allowing two hits, including an RBI single to GSU outfielder Sara Hinchman, for relief pitcher Kandice Irwin.
The normally dominant Irwin got out of the fifth inning, but she was unable to hold the lead as GSU's Kelley Burnett hit a lead-off double and scored the tying run on a groundout by Jenny Side.
The game remained tied into extra innings until the 11th when UTC scored three runs on RBI hits by Stiles and Blosser as well as a RBI sacrifice fly by Lauren Flores.
"We never give up on ourselves and know that we are a comeback team," Stiles said of the Lady Mocs never-say-die attitude this season. "We know that we can win and are confident with everyone on the field."
Smith made things interesting for Georgia Southern (20-17, 6-5) with a two-run homer in the bottom of the 11th, but Irwin secured the final two outs to end the threat and the UTC perfect in conference play. Irwin earned the victory, pitching 6 1/3 innings while allowing two hits and striking out six GSU batters.
UTC will be back home Wednesday for a nonconference doubleheader against Alabama-Birmingham before hosting Elon this weekend at Jim Frost Stadium in another crucial SoCon series.
Elon is in second place behind UTC in the conference standings with an 11-4 SoCon record. The regular season champion will host the four-team conference tournament May 13-14.