Tydingco's grand slam lifts Lady Mocs to extra-inning victory
The Chattanooga softball team split its games on Saturday in the Frost Classic, grabbing an exciting, 10-6 win over Miami (Ohio) to start the day before falling to Boston College 6-1 in the second game.
In UTC's extra-inning win over the Redhawks, Senior Kasey Tydingco delivered the knockout blow in the bottom of the ninth inning—a grand slam over the left-field fence—to propel the Lady Mocs to the win.
UTC wraps up play at the Frost Classic on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. when the Lady Mocs take on Missouri State.
Chattanooga 10, Miami (Ohio) 6
Chattanooga began the second day of the Frost Classic nearly two hours late because on a one-hour rain delay in addition to an extended game before hand. Whe win was well worth the wait, though.
Before the ninth-inning excitement, though, Chattanooga found itself in a tight one with the Redhawks.
The Lady Mocs struck for a run in the first when Sarah Beth Roberts scored senior Sara Poteat with a double, and Roberts helped Chattanooga add to its lead in the third.
A single from Anyssa Robles began the three-run frame before junior Hannah Thurley was called on to pinch run. A wild pitched moved Thurley into scoring position, and Roberts ripped her second double of the afternoon to drive the runner in. A double from Stephanie Rieck brought Roberts around to score, and Courtney Ervin’s plated Rieck with a single.
The Redhawks answered with two runs in the sixth inning, trimming its deficit to two runs, but UTC jumped ahead 5-2 on sixth-inning throwing error that allowed freshman Yoshi Hooks to score.
Despite the deficit, Miami shocked the Lady Mocs with three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 5-5, sending it into extra innings. Both teams managed a run in the eighth to keep the game alive, but Tydingco lifted the team to victory by lifting a pitch over the left-field fence with the bases loaded.
Boston College 6, Chattanooga 1
The Lady Mocs came up short in the second game of the afternoon, losing to Boston College. The Eagles struck for two runs in the first inning and one more in the third, chasing Taylor Deason from the mound after just 2.1 innings pitched. Despite giving up three runs, though, the sophomore right-hander allowed just two hits.
UTC freshman Kaisey Carson entered in relief, but didn’t fair much better, allowing four hits and two runs in 2.2 innings of work. Fellow freshman Rachel Albritton relieved Cason in the sixth, allowing a run to score in the frame.
Chattanooga managed its only run in the fifth inning, when freshman Amanda Ross scored junior Tyler Templet from second with a single.