The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team opened play Friday in its Chattanooga Challenge tournament with a 10-8 win over Marshall and a 12-2 loss to Western Kentucky at frosty Frost Stadium. Against Marshall, the Mocs (2-2) scored five runs each in the first and fourth innings and weathered a six-run third for the Thundering Herd and four errors. Aly Walker was 4-for-4 and scored twice and Hayleigh Weissenbach was 2-for-4 and drove in four runs for UTC, while Morgan Kazerooni and Katie Corum each had two RBIs and Emily Coltharp was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Celie Hudson (2-0) pitched all seven innings, allowing 10 hits but only one earned run and striking out eight. Against Western Kentucky, Corum homered, Coltharp was 2-for-4 with an RBI single and Cameren Swafford was 2-for-2 and scored. Jordan Thomas and Paige Carter each homered and singled for the Hilltoppers (5-2), with five and three RBIs.
Baseball
* Brooks DuBose and Ken Alexander each went 2-for-4 with a double and four runs batted in as Covenant College began its season Friday with a 16-2 win over visiting Emory & Henry. The NCAA Division III teams will play again twice Saturday. Covenant scored three runs in the first inning, one in the second, five each in the fifth and sixth and two in the seventh before the 0-3 Virginia team scored single runs in the eighth and ninth. Also for the Scots, Alex Gonzalez was 2-for-3 with two walks and four runs scored, Tyler Moore was 2-for-3 with a triple, two walks and two runs, CJ Edmond also tripled and added two runs and two RBIs and Hunter Christian drove in two as well. Jackson Heuer pitched the first six innings, allowing four hits and no walks and striking out a career-high batters.
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.