MOBILE, Ala. - On Senior Day at the UM Softball Field, the University of Mobile Softball team, who ranks No. 1 overall in the NAIA, hosted Stillman College for two games and earned two victories over the Tigers in front of one of the largest crowds of the season. The Rams run-ruled Stillman in six innings in game one with an 8-0 final, and followed with a 2-0 victory in game two, shutting out Stillman in 13 total innings on Saturday, Apr. 23. The two wins on the weekend earned Mobile the top seed in next week's SSAC Softball Championship Tournament in Decatur, Ala., with a 42-2 overall record and a 24-2 record in the SSAC.
Prior to game one, seven seniors were honored for Senior Day festivities. Mobile Head Coach Alison Sellers-Cook and assistant softball coach Payton Adams greeted the seniors with gifts and flowers as they were escorted out by family and loved ones. The seven seniors honored were Chloe Buck, Courtney Ellzey, Eila Infante, manager Ashlyn Miller, Jaden Morace, Kaylee Pullin, and the late Amberly Montgomery, who tragically passed away in February of 2021. Montgomery's family was in attendance and were presented with a gift in her name from Sellers-Cook.
All five active seniors on the Mobile roster were in the starting lineups for both games on Saturday, which saw Mobile end the home portion of the 2022 season with two wins.
In game one, the offense was off and rolling in the very first inning, pushing across three runs to start the afternoon. Courtney Ellzey highlighted the inning with an RBI single to center field with the bases loaded. Later in the third, the Rams pushed across two more unearned runs following Stillman errors in the inning, while scoring three more in the sixth and final inning, securing the run-rule win.
With the bases loaded and two outs on the scoreboard, Stillman committed a costly error on a dropped pop up to allow the game-winner to cross home plate and end game one early in six innings. Stillman committed four errors in game one, while being out-hit, 9-3.
The top three batters in the Mobile lineup recorded seven hits combined in game one, with Caitlin McRee finishing 3-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Both Jaden Morace and Kaylee Pullin collected two hits a piece. Morace drove in one run. Courtney Ellzey joined the top three in the lineup with a multi-hit performance, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
From the pitcher's circle, Emily Butts improved to 18-0 on the season and lowered her ERA to a sub-one, 0.97. Butts pitched her 13th complete game of the season in game one, allowing just three hits and striking out four batters.
Game Two Recap - (1) Mobile 2, Stillman 0
In what became a pitchers dual in game two on Saturday, the Rams offense was shut down for the first several innings until the fourth inning by Stillman pitching. Following a two-out error in the bottom of the fourth inning by Stillman, Katie Head of Mobile blooped an opposite field triple down the right field line to score Madi Robertson all the way from first for the game's first run. Head's triple is her first this year.
The following inning, Mobile scored an insurance run off an RBI groundout by Caitlin McRee. Mobile's two runs held up as Brinkley Goff cruised to another complete game shutout from the circle. Goff finished with nine strikeouts in the game, while allowing just three hits. Goff improves to 19-0 this season and threw her 11th complete game of the season.
Following the doubleheader sweep over Stillman, hugs were given and tears were shed as teammates, coaches, and families gravitated to the graduating seniors who have completed their collegiate careers at the UM Softball Field.
The two wins on Saturday ends the 2022 regular season for No. 1 Mobile, as the Rams will travel to Decatur, Ala. next week for the SSAC Softball Championship Tournament. Mobile will be the No. 1 seed of the conference tournament with the opponent and time of round one to be announced later by the SSAC.
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.
