CLERMONT, Fla. (WRCB/UTC) -- Chattanooga softball opened the 2013 season with back-to-back losses Friday on day one of the National Training Center Invitational.
The Lady Mocs (0-2) gave up a two-run walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh in a 6-4 loss to Fordham in their season-opener, then blew a three run lead by allowing six runs in the final three innings of a 6-3 loss to Southern Illinois.
Chattanooga committed three errors in each game, resulting in a combined seven unearned runs against pitchers Taylor Deason, Rachel Albritton and Kaisey Carson.
Albritton (0-1) took the loss in the opener, giving up the game-winning double to Gabby Luety that capped Fordham's three-run seventh inning. Deason (0-1) was tagged with the loss against Southern Illinois after surrendering three runs (two earned) while registering just one out in the Salukis' four-run sixth inning.
Sara Poteat, the team's top hitter a year ago, went 4-for-8 on the day with two doubles and scored three runs. Kasey Tydingco, Anyssa Robles and Jenny Garcia had three hits apiece, with Tydingco and Robles each driving in two runs.
"It's disappointing," said head coach Frank Reed. "That's not the way you want to start out a season, but now we have to regroup and get ready for tomorrow's games. We can't dwell on these losses, but we need to learn from them."
Chattanooga will play two more games Saturday at the tournament, facing Long Island (0-2) at 11 a.m. ET before taking on Virginia Tech (1-0) at 4 p.m.
