NEW ORLEANS, La. - For the first time during the 2022 season, the University of Mobile Baseball team faced the reigning SSAC Baseball Champions, Loyola University, for a three-game series in New Orleans on Friday and Saturday, Mar. 25-26. Mobile entered the weekend conference series with a .500 win percentage at 12-12, while Loyola entered sitting just outside the NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll by receiving votes.
Game One Recap - Mobile 12, Loyola (La.) 3
Game one of the series began Friday night with one nine-inning game, and saw the Rams cruise to victory over the Wolf Pack, 12-3. Mobile started the game by pushing across three runs in the top of the first inning. The Rams sent nine batters to the plate in the inning alone and left the bases loaded.
In the bottom of the third inning, Loyola scored their first run of the game to cut Mobile's deficit to just two runs. However, the Rams answered back with a run in the top of the fourth following an RBI triple by shortstop Trent Avery. With the score 4-1 in favor of Mobile, the two teams traded several runs across the fifth and sixth innings.Â
The Rams managed to score three more runs in the top half of the fifth inning as Loyola followed by scoring their final two runs of the game in the bottom half. Mobile continued to add on in the next inning, answering the Wolf Packs' two-run fifth with five runs in the sixth inning. The score held up from there, 12-3.
Mobile out-hit Loyola 15-7 in the game as the Mobile designated hitter Samuel Plash connected with two home runs in the win. Plash's finished going 2-for-4, 2 HR (4, 5), 4 RBI, 2 R. His two homers came in back-to-back innings in the fifth and sixth innings.
Leadoff hitter Dalton Rone finished 1-for-4 at the dish, driving in three runs for the Rams as Tucker Musgrove and Lex Singleton both recorded three hits each to lead the team in game one. Musgrove recorded two RBIs in the victory while Singleton drove in one.
On the mound, Bailey Sellers got the win from out of the bullpen, pitching 3 1/3 innings of scoreless work and allowing just two hits. Sellers struck out four and walked one.
Game Two Recap - Mobile 5, Loyola (La.) 6 | 7 Innings
The following day, Mobile and Loyola squared off for an afternoon doubleheader at 1:00 p.m. CT. Loyola scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning, but Mobile answered with four runs of their own the next half inning. Samuel Plash once again homered, his third of the series to drive in two in the top of the third.
However, the Wolf Pack managed to put together a nice offensive inning in the bottom of the fourth by scoring four runs and taking the lead, 5-4. Loyola added an insurance run that proved extremely important in the sixth. In the seventh and final inning, Mobile managed to push across one run off a fielder's choice by Tucker Musgrove, but a strikeout with the bases loaded gave Loyola the game two victory.
Trent Avery and Blake Roberts both led the Rams with three hits a piece in the second game of the series. Avery finished 3-for-4 at the plate while Roberts went 3-for-3. Samuel Plash and Tucker Musgrove each drove in two runs in the loss. On the mound, Stephen Poche' was hit with the loss after the four-run fourth inning allowed to Loyola.
Game Three Recap - Mobile 14, Loyola 1 | 7 Innings
In the rubber match of the three-game series, it was all Mobile as the Rams exploded with 14 runs across seven innings and won the series with a 14-1 game three win. Mobile put together two big offensive innings in the series finale, scoring five runs in the second and seven runs in the fourth. Additionally, Mobile scored one run in both the first and third innings.
Blake Roberts led all Rams with four RBIs and finished 3-for-3 at the plate. In the Saturday doubleheader, Roberts recorded six hits in six at-bats. Lex Singleton, Tucker Musgrove, and Jared Whittle all drove in two runs each for the Rams as Mobile Head Coach Jon Seymour saw opportunity to empty his bench and play several reserves as the game drew to a close. Whittle finished 3-for-4 at the dish, as did redshirt freshman Sam Bowman. Bowman recorded one RBI in the victory.
On the mound, Ethan McPherson got the win by pitching five innings against the Wolf Pack. McPherson allowed just three hits and one run, while striking out six.
Following the big series win over the weekend, the Rams are now sitting above .500 with a 14-12 overall record. Mobile returns home to Jacobs Field on Tuesday, Mar. 29 for an afternoon doubleheader at 3:00 p.m. CT as the Rams host non-conference opponent Southeastern Baptist College.
Â
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.
Â
