CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Number one seed Chattanooga pounded out 14 hits en route to an 11-1 victory over fourth-seeded Elon in the second round of the 2004 SoCon Softball Championships.
Six different UTC batters had multiple hits in the contest, led by Melissa Ramirez, who added four RBI and two runs scored. Jeannie Cochran also went two-for-four and crossed the plate three times.
Chattanooga looked poised for a big inning in the top of the first when each of the first three batters singled. But after Cochran scored on Ramirez's hit up the middle, Elon pitcher Whitney Meeks settled down and retired the side with no further damage done.
Elon's Jenny Gustin answered in the bottom of the first with her second home run of the season, a shot into the bleachers beyond the leftfield fence. The homer extended Gustin's current hitting streak to nine games.
UTC added a single run in the second inning as well, but the majority of the damage was done in the fourth and fifth innings.
Ramirez started the scoring in the fourth with a two-run single up the middle. Robyn Johnson and Grace Pickett each had one-RBI singles as well, and Amanda Hoiness drove home the fifth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to left.
The Lady Mocs continued the offensive onslaught in the fifth, pushing four more runs across the plate on three hits. Ramirez drove in another run on a fielder's choice, and a Leslie Barron single through the left side brought in Cochran. UTC added two more runs on a hit batsman and a walk, both coming with the bases loaded.
Brittney Whittier picked up the win for UTC after giving up one run in three innings of work, improving her record to 16-3 on the campaign.
Whitney Meeks was credited with the loss, falling to 12-10.
With Friday's win, Chattanoga (43-23, 16-4) moves on to battle the winner of the College of Charleston/East Tennessee State matchup Saturday afternoon at 3:30. Elon (32-22-1, 11-10) will face Georgia Southern, the number three seed, at 10:00 a.m. Saturday in an elimination game.
--ELON-- Game Box Score
