Mocs Softball sweeps ETSU in Saturday doubleheader

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (UTC Athletics) — CHATTANOOGA – Behind an offensive outburst and a one-hitter from sophomore Allison Swinford, the Chattanooga Mocs softball team swept a Southern Conference doubleheader against ETSU at Frost Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Following the pair of victories, the Mocs are now 25-24 overall and 9-6 in the SoCon. They have won nine of their last 11 conference games and have pulled into third place in the league standings. ETSU fell to 13-25 overall and 1-11 in the SoCon.

Chattanooga downed ETSU in game one 6-2 before limiting the opponents to just one hit in game two during a 2-0 victory. Brook Womack provided the go-ahead homerun in game one while Swinford tossed the gem in game two.

Full game recaps of Saturday’s doubleheader and more can be found below.

GM1 | Chattanooga 6, ETSU 2
ETSU opened up the game with three hits in the top of the first, one going for a double. The Bucs cashed in on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to left field to take an early 2-0 lead.

Chattanooga responded in the home half of the first with three hits and two runs of their own all with two outs. Aly Walker singled and advanced to second on a passed ball before Brook Womack pushed her to third on a single up the middle.

Emma Sturdivant drew a walk to load the bases and Ashley Conner delivered a batter later with a two-RBI single to left field, tying the game 2-2.

Both teams were held off the board until the Mocs broke through with an offensive rip in the bottom of the fifth. UTC busted out for six hits including a double and a homerun to plate four runs.

Walker started the rally with a one-out single to left field before advancing to third on a Womack double to the gap in right center. Both Walker and Womack scored on a Sturdivant two-RBI single up the middle to give the Mocs a 4-2 lead.

With a runner on second and still one out, Conner took the first pitch she saw over the left field fence for her fourth homerun of the season to extend the lead to 6-2.

Starting pitcher Celie Hudson (12-11) earned the win after scattering 11 hits over seven innings while allowing just two earned runs. Hudson tied a season-high in strikeouts after fanning seven ETSU hitters. She is now 6-1 over her last seven decisions.

Chattanooga recorded the second-most hits in a game this season with 14, including two doubles and a homerun. Walker continued her hot streak at the plate after going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. She now has four multi-hit games in her last six games and upped her active hitting streak to six games.

Womack (2-for-4, double) and Conner (2-for-3, homerun, four RBI) added multi-hit games and combined to score three runs. Sturdivant went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a walk while Amanda Beltran, Alyssa Coppinger, Devan Brown and J.J. Hamill added singles in the victory.

GM2 | Chattanooga 2, ETSU 0
Starting pitchers Allison Swinford and Kelly Schmidt provided stellar pitching for their respective ball clubs during game two.

Both pitchers shut the opposing offense’s down for the majority of the game before Chattanooga finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning.

It was senior Brook Womack who provided the late game heroics for the Mocs. She lifted a 1-0 pitch over the right-center field fence for her seventh homerun of the season to give the Mocs a 1-0 lead late in the game.

Chattanooga rallied for an insurance run after Womack’s homerun. Ashley Conner, Devan Brown and Katie Corum provided back-to-back-to-back singles with the latter notching an RBI. Corum’s RBI single extended UTC’s lead to 2-0 with just an inning to play.

Swinford continued her dominance in the circle during the final frame, needing just 12 pitches to retire the Bucs in order. Swinford (9-10) tossed a complete game and allowed just one hit while walking none and striking out two. It’s her third complete game win of the season and her first ever complete game one-hitter.

The Mocs pitching staff has allowed two earned runs in nine of their last ten games and ten of their last twelve. They have allowed just 15 earned runs over the last 76.0 innings of work.

Chattanooga recorded nine hits and out-hit, or tied, their opponents in the hit column for the 12th-straight game. Devan Brown finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, all three going for singles. Womack added a multi-hit game after going 2-for-3 with a homerun and RBI. Walker continued her hitting streak to seven games on a 1-for-3 performance.

» Up Next
Chattanooga will head to Atlanta, Ga., to face Georgia State on Wednesday for a non-conference clash. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. and all game coverage links can be found on the shed

The Mocs will host SEC-power and nationally-ranked Auburn on Sunday, May 6th for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Over 1,200 tickets have already been sold but a limited number of tickets still remain. Fans can purchase tickets by going to the schedule page on GoMocs.com or by calling the box office at (423) 266-MOCS. (Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm).