Chattanooga opened Saturday’s doubleheader at Samford with a 9–4 loss before falling 6–5 in the nightcap, despite combining for nine runs on 16 hits, including a three‑run homer and four total RBIs from Baileigh Pitts, while Ava Cowart reached base five times and scored three runs across the two games.
Chattanooga falls to 12-19-1 overall and 1-4 in Southern Conference action while Samford picks up a pair of wins to move to 14-21 on the year.
GAME ONE: Chattanooga 4, Samford 9
The Mocs struck early with two runs in the first inning while picking up two more in the late innings, but it wouldn’t be enough in a 9-4 loss at Samford.
Ava Cowart led off with a double to left field followed by a walk to Annika Segedi. Baileigh Pitts laid down a sac bunt to move both over and Anna Dovey’s single through the left side drove in Cowart for the first run. With Segedi at third and one out, Mia Leone was thrown out on a shot to third, allowing the Mocs second run and an early 2-0 lead.
Samford responded with a run in each of the first two innings to tie it up and then broke it open with three runs, including back-to-back home runs to open the third to lead 5-3. The Bulldogs added another run in each of the fourth and fifth innings and a pair in the sixth to secure the win. Samford tallied five home runs in the game.
Chattanooga scattered seven hits throughout its lineup. Cowart was 1-for-2 and scored two runs. Jade Gainer had a pinch hit, RBI single and Mia Leone drove in a pair of runs.
Freshman Emery Bales started and worked two innings before giving way to Sophia Guerra.
GAME TWO: Chattanooga 5, Samford 6
Chattanooga exploded for four runs in the first inning and took a 5-0 lead after two while holding Samford scoreless through three, but fell 6-5 after the Bulldogs scored in three of the final four innings.
Ava Cowart reached on a walk and Annika Segedi doubled to right field, setting up Baileigh Pitts for a three-run homer to left field. Anna Dovey doubled and reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a sac fly from Abi Bunt to give the Mocs a 4-0 lead in the first.
The second started with Jade Gainer reaching on a hit by pitch. Zoe Wright sacrificed her to second and she took third on a wild pitch. Cowart drew her second walk of the game to put runners at the corner. Cowart broke for second, drawing the defense in a run down long enough to allow Gainer to steal home to make it a 5-0 lead for Chattanooga.
Emery Bales did not allow a hit over the first 12 batters with one reaching on a walk in the first and another on an error the second. Samford went three-up, three-down in the fourth and the 12th batter fouled out to left field on a diving catch by Segedi.
However, a home run broke up the no-hitter and put Samford on the board, trailing 4-1 through four. The fifth saw four runs scored on five hits to tie the game 5-5.
The Mocs put two on with a pair of singles in the seventh but stranded both. It wouldn’t take long for Samford to break the tie and score the win. With two on, a single to deep left field drove in the winning run from second.
Freshman Emery Bales made her second start of the day and went the distance.
The series concludes Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m.