The Chattanooga Football Club announced two more contract signees Monday for its initial professional soccer season that starts Feb. 29 in Oakland, California: forward Brian Bement from Waterloo, Ill., and Forward Madison FC in the USL League One and midfielder Topher Marshall from Lawrenceville, Georgia, and Oglethorpe University. Bement, 26, played for Loyola University in Chicago and the Jacksonville Armada and Puerto Rico FC before becoming part of Forward Madison's first-year club. "He was an important part of their playoff run last season. He is a strong, physical and intelligent player and can play multiple positions," Chattanooga FC coach Peter Fuller said in a release. "I'm ecstatic to be joining a club with such a great history of winning," Bement said. "I really like the leadership of Jeremy (Alumbaugh), Peter and Bill (Elliott) and their vision for the club. Also, the support of the Chattahooligans is very well known amongst the soccer community, and I knew I wanted to play in front of those amazing fans." Marshall registered 31 goals and 18 assists in 68 games in his four seasons at Oglethorpe. "He had an excellent college career there and has impressed us through our trials with his speed, his balance and his ability to score goals," Fuller said. "We look forward to seeing what he brings to the table for us this year." Said Marshall: "This is a special day for me. With all the hard work and help along the way, I can finally say that I fulfilled a dream. I want to thank Chattanooga FC for giving me this opportunity."
Baseball
* NAIA's No. 1-ranked baseball team, reigning World Series champion Tennessee Wesleyan, is quickly 4-0 in 2020. After beating Saint Xavier - which received votes in the preseason poll - 13-5, 16-6 and 11-2 Saturday and Sunday, the Bulldogs topped visiting Reinhardt 6-3 on Monday. They are scheduled for seven more home games before their first road test, a Feb. 19 visit to No. 1 Georgia Gwinnett. Despite home runs by Chase Fullington and Gary Mattis, they trailed 3-2 Monday before a four-run seventh inning that featured a two-out, two-run pinch-hit single by Connor Wojahn. Mattis was 2-for-3 and scored twice, and Jhosmel Rodriquez was 2-for-3 with two doubles. TWU started its season with homers by De'Andre Pitts and Dan Fry in a five-run first inning against Saint Xavier, and Alex Flock also homered and went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and four runs scored. Jermayne Ward was 2-for-2 with a homer, a double and six RBIs in game two, when Mattis was 3-for-3 with a homer, two doubles and three runs, Shamoy Christopher homered twice and drove in three runs and Pitts homered and tripled. Anthony Williams also homered. Fry was 2-for-3 with two homers and six RBIs and Mattis was 4-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs and another three runs in the weekend finale.
Softball
* Chattanooga State is scheduled to begin its eighth softball season under coach Blythe Golden today, in a home doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. against Southern Union State. Golden is 323-90 with the Lady Tigers, and they are coming off a 43-10 2019 season that ended with the program's fourth NJCAA Division I tournament appearance in her tenure - and 20th in 25 years overall.
* UTC's softball players and coaches will welcome fans at no charge for "Meet the Mocs" tonight from 6 until about 7:30 at the team's indoor practice facility at Warner Park. A light practice session will precede a time for autographs and photos.
Track & Field
* Tennessee Wesleyan's Moesha Moncrieffe was the Appalachian Athletic Conference women's track athlete of the week for her performance in the ETSU Invitational indoor meet this past weekend in Johnson City. She also received that honor on Dec. 10. This time she qualified for the final in the women's 60-meter dash.