MOBILE, Ala. - After finishing 3-1 in four games played last weekend at Jacobs Field against No. 11 Cumberlands (Ky.) and Midway University (Ky.), the University of Mobile Baseball team went 3-1 again this weekend in four more games at Jacobs Field against Point University (Ga.) and Campbellsville University (Ky.). Mobile relied on a walk-off victory in two of the three victories this weekend, making four walk-off wins at home already during the 2022 season. The Rams improve their young season record to 8-3 on the year.
Friday Recap - Mobile v. Point (L) | Mobile v. Campbellsville (W)
On Friday, Feb. 11, Mobile battled Point University to begin the weekend long six-game tournament at Jacobs Field. All games were scheduled seven-inning games with three games between the three teams being played Friday and three games on Saturday. Feb. 12.
The SkyHawks managed to score the first four runs of the game across the second and third innings and held Mobile under two hits through six innings. However, Mobile began a comeback in the seventh and final inning, scoring two runs off Trevor Wells' line-drive home run (2) to left center field. Wells finished 2-for-3 with three RBI in the game.
Trailing by two, Brett Buck blasted a ball to left field that ended up foul and Blake Roberts followed that with a bomb of his own to left field that was also called foul by home plate umpire. Roberts' ball looked fair initially to most in the stands and third-base dugout, but Roberts had to continue his at-bat and eventually walked and was left on base. Point escaped Mobile's comeback and won the game, 7-5.
The Rams later faced Campbellsville University in the nightcap of Friday's triple-header and managed to win the game off a controversial walk-off home run in extra innings. Entering Friday night's game, both teams suffered a loss to Point earlier in the day and were in search of their first win of the weekend. The Rams scored the first three runs of the game across the first four innings, but allowed five Campbellsville runs across the fifth and sixth innings to give the Tigers the lead heading into the bottom half of the sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Mobile pushed across two runs to tie the game and eventually forced extra innings. Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth inning where Tucker Musgrove blasted a ball to deep left-center field to win the game for Mobile. Musgrove's ball bounced off the yellow padding on top of the wall and came back onto the field. Home plate umpire immediately called a home run despite the ball coming back into play. The call stood after the two umpires discussed the well-hit ball and the game was ruled officially over. However, the call should have been an extra-base hit for Musgrove according to Jacobs Field ground rules and not a home run. Nonetheless, Mobile was victorious over Campbellsville, 7-6.
Tucker Musgrove finished 2-for-3 with the walk-off homer (2). He also worked a walk in the game and scored three times. Haden Parker looked great from out of the bullpen for the Rams, giving Mobile four innings of scoreless work while allowing just one hit, one walk, and notching three strikeouts. Parker was awarded the win on the mound.
Saturday Recap - Mobile v. Campbellsville (W) | Mobile v. Point (W)
Following the controversial ending late Friday night between Mobile and Campbellsville, the two teams met on Saturday to start the day at Jacobs Field. The Tigers were looking to avenge their loss to Mobile on Friday night and tallied a four-run second inning to take the lead, 4-1. In the bottom half of the third, Mobile answered with four runs of their own and held the lead up until the final inning. With the score in favor of Mobile 7-3, the Rams' bullpen collapsed needing just one more out to seal the game.
The Mobile pitching staff allowed nine-straight Campbellsville batters to reach with two outs in the top of the seventh, giving up a grand slam and the lead in the inning. The Tigers pushed across seven runs in those nine-straight batters that reached to head into the bottom of the seventh inning with the lead sitting in their favor, 11-7. Campbellsville looked confident that they used a comeback to win the game.
However, Mobile's offense had the backs of their pitching staff, scoring five runs and using another walk-off victory to grab the win at Jacobs Field. Trent Avery came through for Mobile with the RBI single to win the game. A total of 12 runs between both teams were scored in the hour and a half long final inning on Saturday as the walk-off victory is the fourth walk-off win of the season for Mobile at home. It was heartbreak for Campbellsville as they saw defeat in the final inning of both games played against Mobile and eventually went home with four losses in four games on the weekend.
Trent Avery finished 3-for-5 at the dish in Saturday's walk-off win, scoring two runs with his lone RBI being the game-winner. Dalton Rone finished 0-5 in the game, but led Mobile with three RBI. On the mound, Caleb Coffey was awarded the win, pitching a 1/3 scoreless outing.
Later in the evening, Mobile and Point squared off for the final game of the weekend at Jacobs Field. Point entered the final game against Mobile 3-0 on the weekend as the Rams hoped to hand the SkyHawks their first loss in the two-day tournament.
Mobile's bats picked up right where they left off from the previous game as the Rams scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning, four coming off of a Samuel Plash (Slam Plash) grand slam (1). Plash's grand slam is the first homer of his collegiate career as a Ram. Mobile later scored three more runs following a bases-clearing double from Dalton Rone in the third inning. Mobile had the lead heading to the middle innings, 8-2.
Point did not quit, however, as the SkyHawks got to the Mobile pitching in the fourth inning. Point tied the game at eights runs a piece with a six-run fourth, assuming they took the wind out of the Mobile sails and made Saturday night's game a brand new ballgame.
The bats for Mobile picked up the pitching once again in the bottom half of the fourth, though, scoring three runs to make the score, 11-8. From there, the score held up and Mobile handed Point their first loss of the weekend. Both teams finished 3-1 in four games played at Jacobs Field.
Samuel Plash and Dalton Rone were responsible for seven of Mobile's 11 runs Saturday night with Plash finishing 1-for-2 with the grand slam (1) and two walks and Rone finishing 1-for-3 with the three-run double and a walk. Jaden Brown pitched 2/3 of an inning to get the win on the mound and Mobile's starting left fielder Trevor Wells came in to pitch three scoreless and hitless innings to earn his first save of the season.
Three-Game Series v. Crosstown Rival Upcoming
Mobile's next games on the 2022 schedule falls on Feb. 18-19 with three games against area-rival Spring Hill College. Mobile and Spring Hill will meet at Jacobs Field for a doubleheader on Friday at 2:00 p.m. CT. The two teams will conclude the three-game series on Spring Hill's home field in Mobile, Ala. on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. CT. Mobile currently owns the Badgers in the two teams' history with 98 wins and 49 losses.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
