CHATTANOOGA — The No. 1 team in all the land, the Lady Tigers of Chattanooga State held off a determined Cleveland State team in a Region VII Conference softball showdown Wednesday afternoon. But in the end, the Lady Tigers swept a doubleheader from the Lady Cougars by final scores of 3-0 and 11-2 to remain undefeated in conference play.
On Thursday, hits were hard to come by for the Lady Cougars as they dropped a pair of conference games at home to Walters State, 5-0 and 6-0.
The Lady Cougars (13-15, 3-5) held the powerhouse Lady Tigers scoreless until the sixth inning in game one against Chattanooga state. Three Cleveland State errors in the bottom of the sixth accounted for all three Lady Tiger runs which would be all the scoring in the first game.
Ashley Czechner tossed a two-hit shutout for the Lady Tigers to get the win. Casey Griffin singled and Sydney Howell doubled for the only two Cleveland State hits.
Chattanooga State played long ball in game two to quickly finish off the sweep. Two more Cleveland State miscues led to four first inning runs while Chelsea Burgess hit a two-run homer and Andrea Dalton added a solo shot in the second for an 8-2 advantage. Dalton added a two-run dinger to the cause in the fourth to finish game two.
The Lady Cougars avoided the shutout with a pair of runs in the second inning as Ashlen Mitchell singled, Shelby Hanson walked and both scored on a Lady Tiger error. Mitchell, Howell and Maura Ditto had the only Cleveland State hits.
Jana Schett allowed only three hits for the Lady Tigers in picking up the win.
“We played a great game. In game one against one of the best teams in the nation,” stated Lady Cougar coach Katie Willingham, “they capitalized on our mistakes. That’s what great teams do.”
On Thursday, the Lady Cougars just had no answer for the incredible pitching of the Lady Senators of Walters State. Ashley Rhyne got the win in game one by tossing a two-hit shutout while Kelsey Weddle followed that with a no-hitter in game two as the Lady Senators completed the sweep.
Samaria Curtis put the Lady Senators on top with a solo homer in the first inning of game one and Lindsey Loudermilk singled in a run for a 2-0 lead. Loudermilk then nailed a two-run homer over the center-field fence in the seventh to finish game one. Hanson and Halen Weeks picked up the two Cleveland State hits.
Brittany Heffner and Courtney Davis each hit a solo homer for the visitors in game two and that would be all the help that Weddle would need as she was unhittable the entire game.
Meghan Smith pitched all four games for Cleveland State. In game one on Friday, she allowed only three hits, two walks and no earned runs against Chattanooga State.
“Meghan really stepped up and pitched great,” said Willingham. “We just didn’t give her any help. We have to hit the ball to win games and we didn’t do it in these four games. Mental mistakes and defense beat us.”
The Lady Cougars will travel to Roane State on Tuesday for a pair of games.
