Sunday, March 24, 2002

Chattanooga, Tenn. (Mar. 24, 2002) -- The East Tennessee State softball team fell to Chattanooga, 5-0, in the finale of a three-game Southern Conference series from Frost field in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Lady Mocs (19-8, 4-1 SoCon) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Jada Pescatore's RBI double. Chattanooga did not get another runner past second base until the sixth. Melissa Ramirez opened the sixth with a double for the Lady Mocs and Pescatore then reached on a fielder's choice. When Jill Crawford flied to right, Ramirez moved to third and she came into score with a throwing error on the play. Pescatore, who had moved around to third on the play, scored on Jolene Martin's single. Chattanooga's Paige Cochrane then hit a scorching line-drive just inside the foul pole for her second homer of the season. ETSU (13-13, 3-3) stranded five runners, and it had two runners on with no outs in the sixth, but Alexander got back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to end the threat. Freshman pitcher Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) (5-4) took the loss after pitching six innings and allowing five earned runs on eight hits, striking out four. Sophomore shortstop Tiffany Vandergriff (Sale Creek, Tenn.), senior designated player Melanie Collins (Greeneville, Tenn.) and sophomore catcher Sheryl Clark (Bradenton, Fla.) collected the three hits for the Buccaneers. The Bucs return to action on March 27 for a afternoon doubleheader at No. 24 South Carolina at 3 p.m. from Columbia, S.C.