May 7, 2008

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The No. 8 seeded Western Carolina Catamounts (19-35) dropped a tight ball game to No. 1 seed Chattanooga (36-19) 3-1 Wednesday in the first round of the Southern Conference Tournament at Patriot Point.

Both clubs were scoreless through five innings before Western Carolina got on the scoreboard first in the top of the sixth inning. Junior Beth Hauser hit a one out double to left field, but pinch runner Nicole Shook was erased in between second and third as Stephanie Beatty went to first on a fielder's choice. Mollie Fowler followed with a single to left field and a Chattanooga error allowed Beatty to score.

Chattanooga answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the lead for good.

Junior hurler Lauren Ross got the starting nod and tossed five scoreless innings before yielding the three runs to the Mocs in the sixth. She allowed eight hits and struck out four in the contest and falls to 9-18 on the season.

Pritchard led the Catamounts with a pair of hits in the contest and Hauser was one of just two players in the game to pick up an extra base hit in the contest.

Western Carolina falls to the loser's bracket and will return to the diamond on Thursday to face No. 4 seed Elon at 10 a.m. in an elimination game.