MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — A lack of offense and shaky starting pitching Thursday combined to send the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga softball team to the losers bracket in the Southern Conference tournament.

The top-seeded Lady Mocs gave up two first-inning runs to UNC Greensboro and the offense wasn’t able to mount a rally as UTC lost 3-1 to the fifth-seeded Spartans. It was the third straight year that UNCG (23-31) has upset the top seed in the SoCon tournament, and its second consecutive tournament win over UTC (36-20).

Contributed Photo/Jeff Hurndon-- Toni Hutchson went 2-for-2 for the Lady Mocs on Thursday, but UTC fell 3-1 to UNC Greensboro in the Southern Conference Tournament.

UTC starting pitcher Kandice Irwin, who has had a shin problem, recorded only one out and surrendered two runs, one earned. Baylor graduate Mary Catherine Vercoe singled in the second run and knocked Irwin out of the game.

UTC sophomore Brooke Loudermilk came in and struck out the next two batters to limit the damage, but the Lady Mocs’ bats remained silent most of the afternoon.

Junior right fielder Laci Upchurch gave UTC some hope in the fourth inning when she hit a single to score Michelle Fuzzard. But that was the only run on three hits for the inning, and the Lady Mocs went quietly after that.

The only other hit for UTC was a leadoff single in the second by Toni Hutchison, who was 2-for-2 with a walk.

Loudermilk struck out five UNCG batters in 3 2/3 innings, but she issued back-to-back walks in the fifth and UNCG added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Brittany Ausley to score Kayla Hensley.

UTC will face No. 7 seed Appalachian State at 10 this morning in an elimination game. The winner will play again at 5 p.m. against the survivor of the noon game between College of Charleston and Elon.

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