CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The UNC Greensboro (UNCG) softball team dropped two games, 9-1 and 3-2, to the Chattanooga (UTC) Mocs to begin play in The Southern Conference (SoCon) on Saturday afternoon at Frost Stadium.

GAME ONE: UTC 9, UNCG 1 (6 Innings)
The Mocs struck first in game one, scoring two runs in the opening frame to take a 2-0 lead. Both runs that crossed the plate were unearned, with the first scoring on a throwing error before the second scored on a groundout to second base.

The third inning saw Presley Williamson hit a two-run home run, which made it 4-0 Mocs.

UNCG answered by getting on the board in the fourth frame. Macy Michael earned the RBI on a fielder's choice, which allowed Gardner to score and cut the deficit to 4-1. However, the Mocs piled on three more runs in the bottom half of the inning to extend their lead to 7-1. Lexi Cooley hit an RBI triple and then scored on a passed ball before Williamson drew a walk with the bases loaded for another run.

After the Mocs added one more run on a wild pitch in the fifth, Williamson walked it off by forcing a run rule in the sixth inning with a double that scored Abby Orr to make it 9-1.

PITCHING RECORDS
Peja Goold: W, 11-3
Jorde Chartrand: L, 3-3

GAME TWO: UTC 3, UNCG 2
UNCG scored its first and only runs during the opening inning of game two. The Spartans grabbed a 2-0 lead thanks to a single through the left side by Hadley Gardner, which scored Jessie Shipley from third. In the next at-bat, Betsy Eatmon singled to center, allowing Jorde Chartrand to score from second.

The Mocs got on the board with one run during the second inning. Raven Jones singled to left field, which allowed Abi Pikas to score from second base. After two innings, UNCG was grasping a 2-1 lead.

UTC tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when Abi Bunt hit a single up the middle, scoring Zoe Wright from third and forcing extra innings.

 The Mocs won in walk-off fashion again in game two when Jayce Purdy singled to left-center, allowing Acelynn Sellers to come around and score from second for a 3-2 win.

PITCHING RECORDS
Peja Goold: W, 12-3
Salem Ward: L, 10-4

NOTES

• Grace Loftin and Eatmon each had one hit in both games.
• Shipley and Chartrand drew one walk each in both games.
• Michael had one RBI in game one, while Gardner and Eatmon had an RBI each in game two.
• Chartrand pitched 3.2 innings in game one and was relieved by Addy Berry, who tossed the final inning and a third.
• Salem Ward pitched the entirety of game two, throwing 8.2 innings with just three runs allowed.

RECORDS
UNCG: 22-9, 0-2 SoCon
UTC: 21-8, 2-0 SoCon

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UP NEXT
The Spartans will face the Mocs one more time in the three-game series finale on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. back at Frost Stadium.