The Chattanooga softball team dropped a pair of games to Fordham and Southern Illinois on Friday in the first day of the Dot Richardson National Training Center Invitational in Clermont, Fla.
The Lady Mocs (0-2), who haven’t started a season with back-to-back losses since doing so in Clermont in 2010, were beaten by the Rams, 6-5, on a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh, then lost 6-3 to the Salukis in the afternoon’s second game.
"It's disappointing," UTC coach Frank Reed said. "That's not the way you want to start out a season, but now we have to regroup and get ready for tomorrow's games. We can't dwell on these losses, but we need to learn from them."
The Lady Mocs return to action tomorrow at 11 a.m. when they take on Long Island (0-2), before facing Virginia Tech (1-0) at 4 p.m.)
Fordham 6, Chattanooga 5
The Lady Mocs struck for a run in the first inning when Kasey Tyndingco roped a two-out single to centerfield, then stole second base to set up the first run of the season. Freshman Anyssa Robles scored the senior first baseman on single down the righfield line. The Rams scored three runs off two hits in the bottom of the second against UTC starter Taylor Deason, before the sophomore was relieved by freshman Rachel Albritton. The Lady Mocs scored runs in the third, fourth, fifth and seven innings to take a 5-3 lead, but Fordham captured the win on Gabby Luety’s double.Chattanooga senior Sara Poteat went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Tyndingco andRobles finished with two hits and two runs batted in a piece.
Southern Illinois 6, Chattanooga 3
UTC struck first in the second game as well, this time jumping out to three-run lead through three innings, but the Salukis rallied and claimed a 6-3 lead following their four-run sixth inning. Southern Illinois scored two runs in the fifth off Chattanooga starter Kaisey Carson before the freshman was relieved by Deason. Robles drove in two runs for the Lady Mocs, while Sarah Beth Roberts finished with a pair of hits.