NEW ORLEANS, La. - The dominant start to the 2022 season continued on Wednesday, Feb. 23 for the University of Mobile Softball team as the Rams swept the Xavier University of Louisiana Gold Nuggets in a non-conference doubleheader. Wednesday evening's sweep is already the third doubleheader sweep of the season for Mobile and advances the Rams' overall record to 6-0. Mobile has trailed in only three innings so far this season while scoring 52 runs across the six games played. Mobile pitching is given up just 10 runs in 36 innings this year.
Game One Recap - MOB 12, XULA 2
In game one of Wednesday's doubleheader against non-conference rival Xavier (La.), Mobile quickly hit the scoreboard in the top of the first inning following Caitlin McRee's sacrifice fly that scored leadoff hitter Jaden Morace. Following the first inning, the Rams pushed across two more runs, one in the second and one in the third to take a 3-1 lead to the middle innings.
In the sixth inning, Mobile's bats came alive and scored six runs in the inning alone. The Rams followed the dominant sixth with a four-run seventh inning to eventually defeat the Gold Nuggets by 10, 12-2. Jaden Morace finished 1-for-3 at the plate in game one and led the Rams with three RBI in the victory. Both Kaylee Pullin and Courtney Ellzey recorded two RBI each as Pullin finished 1-for-5 at the dish and Ellzey finishing 3-for-4, scoring two runs. Carleigh Bowden and Eila Infante joined Ellzey in recording three hits in the game as Mobile tallied 13 hits in total in the win.
In the pitcher's circle, Emily Butts once again pitched a complete game, her third on the year while earning her third win of the season. Butts advances her record to 3-0 on the 2022 campaign and allowed just four hits while recording nine strikeouts against Xavier (La.). In 19 innings of work this season, Butts' earned-run-average currently sits at a stellar 0.74.
Game Two Recap - MOB 7, XULA 4
As the sun sat over the horizon in New Orleans Wednesday evening, game two was underway and saw Mobile once again start the game off hot with the bats. The Rams scored one run in the top of the first inning via a sacrifice fly from Kaylee Pullin, three runs in the second led by Cailtin McRee's two-run single, and one more run in the third following Katie Head's RBI ground-out. However, Xavier (La.) managed to answer back to Mobile's quick start with a four-run bottom half of the third inning to cut the deficit to just one run.
The Rams managed to add a run in the top of the fifth with an RBI single by Jaden Morace. Morace later scored another insurance run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning following her two-out triple. From there, Mobile managed a 7-4 victory over the Gold Nuggets.
Morace finished 3-for-5 at the plate with two triples in game two, bringing her total of triples on the season to three. Caitlin McRee led the Rams with two RBI in the win, finishing 2-for-4. Both Eila Infante and Ashlyn Stewart finished 1-for-2 in the game and worked two walks each.
In the pitcher's circle, Brinkley Goff was awarded the start and pitched three innings while giving up the four-run third to Xavier (La.). Goff struck out seven batters across the three innings of work. Avery Johnston was brought in the game in the fourth inning by Mobile Head Coach Alison Sellers-Cook and pitched four scoreless innings to grab her third win of the season. Johnston gave up just two hits and struck out two.
As a team, Mobile out-hit the Gold Nuggets 9-4 and improved their team batting average to .390 through the first six games of the year while Mobile's on-base percentage currently sits at .446. The Rams are set for another early-season tournament following Wednesday's doubleheader.
NFCA Leadoff Classic
Mobile will travel to Columbus, Ga. for the annual NFCA Leadoff Classic on Feb. 25-27. The Rams will play a total of five games across three days against five different non-conference opponents in the weekend tournament with the first game scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Feb. 25. The entire Mobile schedule in the NFCA Leadoff Classic is listed below.
- MOBILE v. Kentucky Christian - Friday, Feb. 25 @ 12:00 p.m. CT
- Aquinas (Mich.) v. MOBILE - Friday, Feb. 25 @ 2:30 p.m. CT
- Rio Grande (Ohio) v. MOBILE - Saturday, Feb. 26 @ 10:00 a.m. CT
- MOBILE v. University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) - Saturday, Feb. 26 @ 12:00 p.m. CT
- Reinhardt (Ga.) v. MOBILE - Sunday, Feb. 27 @ 8:00 a.m. CT
All games in the NFCA Leadoff Classic are scheduled to stream live at https://watch.yourgamecam.com/ with instructions to follow:
- Under Sport at top of page:
- Choose "Softball".
- Under find, choose "Facility".
- Under facility, choose "South Commons".
- Under Channel, choose the field you want to view (Stadium is Field 7, which is noted).
Live statistics will not be available this year in the NFCA Leadoff Classic.
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.
