Elon Softball Falls to Chattanooga in SoCon Tournament

BOONE, N.C. – Hitting woes plagued the Elon softball team in its first game of the 2012 Southern Conference Softball Championship as Chattanooga defeated the Phoenix, 8-1, at Sywassink/Lloyd Stadium today, May 9. The second seeded Lady Mocs improve to 38-14 on the season, while the seventh seeded maroon and gold is now 23-26.

The win went to UTC’s Taylor Deason (23-7), who pitched the complete game and gave up one run off three hits and struck out five. Elon’s Erin O’Shea took the loss (14-14) after two runs off three hits in three innings of work. Both Chelsea White and Kari Pervell also saw time in the circle for the Phoenix.

Carleigh Nester accounted for two of Elon’s three hits on the day with a double and a home run.

Chattanooga got on the board with one run in the second inning. A one-out sacrifice fly to right field by Sara Poteat pushed Jessica Traxler across the plate from third for the score. Traxler had drawn a leadoff walk and advanced on a hit batter and a wild pitch.

The Lady Mocs got the second run of the game in the third off a two-out single to left by Sarah Beth Roberts. Roberts’ hit scored Michelle Fuzzard from third, but Kaitlyn Piazzolla was able to get Vivian Morimoto out at the plate to record the third out and keep the deficit at just two runs.

In the bottom of the fifth, Chattanooga added two more runs off solo home runs by Fuzzard and Kasey Tydingco for a 4-0 advantage. Fuzzard’s homer was a leadoff shot to right field and her 15th of the season, while Tydingco hit her long ball to center for number 11 on the year.

Elon got on the board in the top of the sixth off a solo home run to left field by Nester. The round tripper was the fourth of the season for the center fielder.

With two on and one out in the bottom of the sixth for Chattanooga, Elon’s White intentionally walked Fuzzard and loaded the bases. Morimoto then hit a grand slam to center for an 8-1 lead for the Lady Mocs.

The Phoenix moves into the consolation bracket and will play the loser of the College of Charleston/Western Carolina game tomorrow, May 10, at 12 p.m.