Editorial
Front Page - Friday, April 2, 2010
Lady Mocs doing their part to make spring fun
David Laprad
Brooke Loudermilk pitches for the Lady Mocs, the women’s softball team of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The team is one of the success stories of the Southern Conference.
- Jeff Hurndon
Brooke Loudermilk reaches down and swipes the fingers of her right hand through the dirt that makes up the pitcher’s mound at Jim Frost Stadium. Meanwhile, her opponent steps up to the plate, whipping her bat around like it’s a toothpick.
 Frank Reed, head coach of the Lady Mocs, urges Sara Poteat toward home plate. - Jeff Hurndon
It must be spring in Chattanooga.
The sights and sounds of the season are the same everywhere, with one exception: Scenic City residents have the added pleasure of hearing the crack of a home run launching off the bat of a Lady Moc.
The women’s softball program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is no slow pitch parade, either; Loudermilk and relief pitcher Kandice Irwin can whip a ball across the plate like Zeus unleashing a bolt of lightning.
“You’ve got pitchers standing 43 feet out and throwing the ball 60 miles per hour,” says Frank Reed, the Mocs’ head coach since 2002. “If you equate that to the reaction time in baseball, you’re looking at balls thrown 90 miles per hour.”
That’s fast enough to make a batter’s head spin. It’s also one of the things that makes the Lady Mocs fun to watch, Reed says. “If you’ve never seen a fast pitch game, you’d be amazed. The things you visualize male athletes doing – diving to make a play, knocking a ball out of the park, stealing a base – it’s all there.”
Nikki Waters makes Reed’s point by stepping up to the plate and hitting a home run over the left field fence. The Lady Mocs abandon the dugout and meet her at the plate, cheering, “Nikki, Nikki, she got the homie!”
The girls are just as spirited on defense. Each out is a celebration, with the infielders gathering together at the mound to slap gloves. When the tide turns against them, as it does when the visiting Eastern Illinois Panthers rally to gain a one-run lead in the sixth, Lady Mocs aren’t shy about expressing annoyance. “Just throw the ball!” Tiffany Baker shouts at Eason after the catcher misses an opportunity to throw a runner out at third.
The girls react strongly to botched plays, but they don’t let momentary tension tear the fabric of unity that binds them together.
“These girls care about each other and get along really well. Some teams don’t have that kind of chemistry,” Reed says.
If the match against the Panthers is any indication, fans of the Lady Mocs can be as vocal as the players. When Kristin Holloway hits a fast grounder to the Panthers’ shortstop, for example, the throw beats her to first base by a fraction of a second – or so says the ump. In even less time, the crowd is on its feet, shouting disapproval.
“In a game against Tennessee Tech earlier this week, some of the Tech fans said they would’ve paid our spectators to not come to the game,” says Reed, smiling.
Energetic agameplay and lively crowds are included in the price of a Lady Mocs game; so is the venue. Dubbed the Field of 1,000 Dreams, Frost Stadium is a sparkling diamond on the national women’s softball circuit. Built in the late ‘90s, the $2 million stadium features first base, third base and outfield bleachers as well as 800 chairback seats behind home plate. Amenities include concession stands, restrooms, a glass-enclosed press box, two skyboxes, climate-controlled locker rooms, batting cages and bullpens, all polished or well groomed.
Frost Stadium is more than a state of the art sports facility, though; it’s also home to a group of young women who are working hard to make their mark on the Southern Conference.
In their 15 years as a team, the Lady Mocs have won 11 conference championships, 10 tournament championships and advanced to regionals six times. This year’s squad could secure the conference title again, although it’ll have to top the Elon Phoenix, with whom it shares first place (as of the writing of this article).
Reed doesn’t attribute his team’s success to a few key players. Although Loudermilk was named Southern Conference pitcher of the month in February, he says everyone on his roster is important.
“At an engineering firm, the guy who sweeps up at the end of the day is just as important as the guy who designs the products,” Reed says. “We’ve preached that to this year’s group.
“We need Loudermilk, but we also need the kids who warm up our pitchers and go out and run bases. Everyone is skilled enough to contribute.”
Reed says all of his girls were star players in high school, but when they arrived at UTC, they set aside the spotlight to work toward a common goal.
“They don’t care who gets the credit,” Reed says. “In high school, Irwin was the No. 1 pitcher, but for us, she comes in late to shut batters down. She doesn’t get the win, but she does earn the save, which is just as important. She’s adapted to that role and done a phenomenal job.”
Irwin offers a demonstration, taking over for Loudermilk when Eastern Illinois moves ahead. The moment she steps onto the mound, the Panthers’ bats cool, allowing the Lady Mocs to reclaim the lead and put another slash in the win column.
“Our girls don’t care about the numbers they’re putting up as individuals; they care about the numbers the team is putting up,” Reed says.
While Reed wants his players to win games, he’s more concerned about their success in the classroom. To that end, he’s proud of UTC’s academic credentials and the manner in which the school supports its student athletes through advisors, tutors and study halls.
“People miss the boat when they fail to see how strong we are academically,” Reed says. “Sure, we’ve got a great softball program, but we’re also the top school in the country in several majors, including business.”
For the moment, the Lady Mocs have more business to attend to on the field, as the game they just won was only the first half of a double bill against the Panthers. They emerge from their dugout with the same energy as earlier in the day, fresh off a lecture from Reed about what they need to do better. To get things rolling, Loudermilk reaches down and swipes the fingers of her right hand through the dirt that makes up the pitcher’s mound at Jim Frost Stadium...
For all things Lady Mocs, including game times, ticket prices, stats and more, go to www.gomocs.com, hover your mouse cursor over “Schedules & Scores” and click “Softball.”
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