Orlando, Fla. – The Chattanooga Mocs softball team dropped to 0-4 Sunday morning, falling 1-0 in a tight game against the Kanas Jayhawks, despite a seven-inning, one-run performance from starting pitcher Taylor Deason (Clarksville, Tenn.).
“After she threw the first two pitches, we knew she was going to have a good day,” Frank Reed said. “She was throwing the ball hard and looked great out there today.”
The junior allowed just six hit to Kansas over seven innings of work. Deason tallied seven strikeouts and walked just one batter. The Jayhawks’ one run was the first earned run allowed of the season by the right-hander. Deason also stranded seven Kansas runners on base.
The Mocs offense managed just four hits against Kansas pitcher Kelsey Kessler. The rise-ball pitcher sat down 15 Mocs on strikes, recording the seven-inning shutout of Chattanooga. Kessler’s record improved to 1-1 while Deason dropped to 0-2 on the season.
The lone of the game came in the top of the fourth inning as cather Harlie Ridling was hit by a Deason pitch to begin the inning. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position, and a one-out single to right off the bat of Maddie Stein drove Ridling in from second base. The single was Stein’s second hit of the game.
Chattanooga threatened in the fifth and seventh innings, putting runners on in both frames. Senior Kaiti Dutton (Tulsa, Okla.) was left on in the fifth after singling, and junior Sarah Beth Roberts was stranded at second in the seventh after doubling with one out on the board. Two more Mocs – Stephanie Rieck (Chandler, Ariz.) and Anyssa Robles (Lawrenceville, Ga.) – both recorded hits for UTC.
The team is back in action next weekend as the Mocs travel to Las Vegas, Nev., for the Easton Desert Classic. The five-game tournament has Chattanooga going up against Boise State, BYU, Nevada, Oregon and Ohio State.
