MOBILE, Ala. - After beginning the SSAC portion of the 2022 schedule last weekend on the road, the University of Mobile Baseball team returned home to Jacobs Field to host conference foe Faulkner University for a three-game series on Mar. 11-12. The two teams met for a doubleheader on Friday afternoon with the Eagles of Faulkner defeating Mobile 4-2 in the seven-inning game one and followed that with a nine-inning game two victory, 7-5. On Saturday, Mobile and Faulkner met for the series finale and saw the Eagles mount a comeback win to sweep the Rams this weekend. Following the series sweep from Faulkner, Mobile's overall record falls to 10-10 and 1-5 in SSAC action.
Friday, Mar. 11 Recap
Offense was hard to come by to begin the series on Friday afternoon as the Rams only managed two hits in game one of Friday's doubleheader. Mobile scored their two runs late in the final inning and saw nine batters retired via strikeout from Faulkner starting pitcher, July Sosa.
Kyle White was handed the loss on the mound in game one, pitching three innings of work while allowing three Faulkner runs. White struck out five batters and walked another. With the bats, Christian Waltman recorded one of Mobile's two hits in the defeat, finishing 1-for-2. J.T. Lastorka was responsible for Mobile's other hit, finishing 1-for-3 at the dish.
In the nightcap on Friday, the Mobile offense was much better, recording 12 hits as a team. Faulkner managed to score the first four runs of the game in the first two innings, however, before Mobile managed a run in the bottom of the third. Christian Waltman roped a sacrifice fly to center field to get the Rams on the scoreboard. Following Mobile's first run of the game, the Eagles answered with three more runs in the fourth.
With the score 7-1 going into the bottom of the seventh inning, Brett Buck launched a home run to left-center field, his third of the year, to begin a late run for the Rams. Dalton Rone later singled in the inning which scored Sam Bowman and Christian Waltman followed with a two-run homer the following inning. Waltman's dinger is his first on the 2022 season. In the ninth, the Eagles did manage to halt Mobile's offensive momentum and keep the Rams off the scoreboard for the win. Mobile ended the game with the tying run at the plate as Sam Bowman was left on first.
Thomas James was handed his first loss on the mound this season as Christian Waltman finished 1-for-3 with three RBI in the loss. Both Dalton Rone and Blake Roberts recorded three hits a piece in game two while Sam Bowman finished 2-for-4 and Trent Avery finished 2-for-5. Mobile's 1-2-3 hitters in the lineup recorded 8 of the team's 12 hits.
Saturday, Mar. 12 Recap
Mobile attempted to salvage the series finale the following day on a cold and windy Saturday afternoon and started game three out strong with a 2-0 lead through the first three innings. However, Faulkner used a three-spot in the fourth inning to take the lead before Mobile answered a tied the game right back in the bottom half of the third. Both teams later scored one run in the sixth inning before Faulkner pushed across the go-ahead run in the eighth and an insurance run in the ninth. Mobile's bats had no answer for the Faulkner backend of the bullpen as five of seven Rams struck out to end the game.
Mobile newcomer Haden Parker dropped to 2-2 on the mound this year following the game three defeat, pitching 2 1/3 innings of work from the bullpen. Dalton Rone and Blake Roberts put together another nice offensive game, recording two hits each. Roberts led the team with two RBI while Rone also reached base via two base-on-balls.
Mobile has seen their fair share of struggles as of late, dropping to .500 on the season at 10-10 after falling in seven of their last eight games. Mobile began the season 9-3 through the first 12 games of the season prior the the skid.
The Rams are scheduled to return to action on Mar. 18-19 at Jacobs Field when Mobile will host conference rival William Carey University for a three-game series. The series will begin with one game Friday night, Mar. 18 at 6:00 p.m. CT with a doubleheader scheduled the following day beginning at 1:00 p.m. CT.
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.
