Box Score
MOBILE, Ala. -- The University of Evansville softball team took its second loss of the day, losing to UT-Chattanooga by a score of 11-3 in six innings.
A three-hit first inning for the Lady Mocs gave UTC an early 2-0 lead. UE quickly answered with a run of its own, thanks to the speed of freshman Katie Sears. Sears led off the bottom of the first inning with a single to first base before stealing second. She then advanced to third on a throwing error by UTC catcher Vivian Morimoto before going on to score on a throwing error by right fielder Della Harrison.
Aces’ starting pitcher junior Maggie Little was able to settle down in the second and third innings, retiring six of seven batters faced and keeping the score at 2-1.
In the bottom of the third, junior Amy Gaertner singled to the shortstop to bring freshman Taylor Perry to the plate. Perry blasted a full-count pitch over the centerfield wall to give UE a 3-2 lead and forcing UTC to make an early call to the bullpen. Replacing starter Nikki Waters, Kandice Irwin was able to keep the UE hitters at bay the rest of the game, striking out nine of the 15 batters she faced.
UE’s lead didn’t last long before UTC’s Harrision hit a leadoff home run in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 3-all. A UE throwing error allowed the Lady Mocs to push across three more runs before the inning was over.
Harrison brought more trouble for the Aces in the top of the fifth when she homered again, this time scoring two runs for the Lady Mocs.
Redburn brought in Perry to pitch at the top of sixth inning. UTC managed three hits off of Perry, including a two-run home run by Tiffany Baker to give the Lady Mocs an eight-run lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning.
Fighting to take the game to a seventh inning, junior Allison Aguilera singled as a pinch hitter. The Aces were able to string together two more singles to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but a final strikeout by Irwin gave UTC the 11-3 win.
Eight different hitters recorded hits for the Aces throughout the game. Sophomore Brianna Villanueva was the only Ace to finish with multiple hits, accounting for two of the Aces’ nine hits.
The Aces (0-2, 0-0) will try to pick up their first win of the season tomorrow morning in the second day of the Mardi Gras Tournament. UE will play back-to-back games, taking on Southeastern Louisiana at 9:00 CST before going against host South Alabama at 11:15 CST.
