CHATTANOOGA CLAIMS 16TH SOUTHERN CONFERENCE SOFTBALL TITLE
GoMocs It took a Saturday sweep for top-seeded Chattanooga to claim its 16th Southern Conference Tournament title. The Mocs blanked No. 2 UNCG 5-0 in the opening game to force a second and beat the Spartans 9-5 behind power hitting.
Chattanooga improves to 42-14 overall, ninth most wins in program history. UNCG ends its season at 33-26.
Kaili Phillips went 4-for-6 (.667) Saturday and was a double shy of the cycle in game two. Olivai Lipari and Jayce Purdy each went 3-for-7 (.429) and Addy Keylon hit .400 (2-for-5). Keylon, Phillips and Anna Dovey each had a home run Saturday and the Mocs drove in 14 runs in two games.
This is the third time Chattanooga has won the tournament after getting sent to the consolation bracket. The Mocs beat Furman in 2000 and Georgia Southern in 2008.
GAME ONE: Chattanooga 5, UNCG 0
Pinch hitter Anna Dovey broke the game open with a three-run homer to left center, breaking up a scoreless battle as top-seeded Chattanooga beat No. 2 UNCG 5-0 Saturday afternoon at UNCG Softball Stadium to force a second game.
With two runners on, head coach Frank Reed opted to pinch hit for his lead off batter Kailey Snell and go for power. Dovey took the first pitch over the fence for her first home run of the season and gave the Mocs a 3-0 lead in the fifth.
Chattanooga added two more in the sixth on a double off the bat of Kaili Phillips. With bases loaded, nobody out and the count full, Phillips sent a hard hit to left center scoring Olivia Lipari and pinch runner Abby Orr for a five-run lead.
Peja Goold went all seven innings with six strikeouts, four hits and two free passes. She improves to 11-3 on the year.
Dovey was 1-for-1 with a three-run pinch hit home run. Phillips was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a double.
GAME TWO: Chattanooga 9, UNCG 5
Chattanooga spaced out nine runs to beat the Spartans 9-5 in Game Two.
UNCG got the scoring started in the first with one run, but the Mocs responded with two runs in second to take the lead and never trailed again. Two more runs crossed in the second to stretch out the advantage.
The Spartans loaded the bases on two singles and a walk in the first. With one out, a fly ball to center field plated the first run of the game on a sac fly. A pop up ended the inning, stranding two runners.
Chattanooga started the second with a double from Kendall Forsythe. Kaili Phillips hit the ball off the fence in right center to score pinch runner Abi Pikas, tying the game.
With two outs, Acelynn Sellers almost drove her shot out of the park, hitting the top of the fence. The ball bounced back into center field and Phillips scored to put UTC up 2-1.
Once again with two outs, the Mocs added another two runs in the third. Forsythe and Phillips both walked. Anna Dovey, the hero of game one, drew a walk as well to load the bases. Jayce Purdy had a hard hit to second and the shortstop booted it into shallow center and Phillips and Forsythe raced home to make it a three-run game.
The top of the fourth added two more runs for the Spartans to cut the lead to 4-3 in the Mocs favor. With bases loaded on a hit by pitch and two walks and one out, Alyssa Lavdis stepped in the circle, relieving Goold who pitched all seven innings of game one. She walked the first batter to plate a run and a fielder’s choice to third base got the runner out with a tag, but the runner on third scored to make it 4-3.
In the fifth, the Mocs hit back-to-back home runs to double its lead. Kaili Phillips, called back to the plate after a perceived hit-by-pitch lifted a monster homer over the left field fence that cleared the flags set up beyond the fence and almost to the UNC Soccer Stadium. Keylon, with a 1-1 count, left no doubt on her home run shot over left center.
Lavdis did not let a runner on base in the fifth and sixth innings. However, three base runners and a run in the seventh brought Tournament Most Outstanding Player Peja Goold back into the circle. She struck out the first batter she faced, but gave up one run on a single up the middle.
However, she struck out the last two batters for the Mocs win.
Kaili Phillips was 3-of-3 with a home run, a walk, two runs batted in and four runs scored. She was a double shy of the cycle. Addy Keylon was 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and scored twice. Jayce Purdy was 2-for-4 with four RBI.
Goold went 4-1/3 innings with four strikeouts and improved to 12-3 on the year.
SELECTION SHOW INFORMATION
Join us tomorrow (May 12) as the Mocs see where they are heading next! The Selection Show starts at 7 pm ET on ESPN2. Watch with the Mocs in the Ultra Club at Finley Stadium, doors will open at 6:30 pm and is FREE to attend. There will be complimentary parking in the VIP parking lot.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Most Outstanding Player
Peja Goold, Chattanooga
PINNACLE AWARD WINNER
Kaili Phillips
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Maycin Brown, UNCG
Jorde Chartrand, UNCG
Peja Goold, Chattanooga
Kendall Forsythe, Chattanooga
Kaili Phillips, Chattanooga
McKenzie Newcomb, Samford
Katie Campbell, Samford
Lily Bell, Western Carolina
Tessa Juett, Western Carolina
Jeralynn Wells, Western Carolina
