MOBILE, Ala. - The University of Mobile Baseball team concluded the 2022 regular season with a three-game series against Blue Mountain College at Jacobs Field on Apr. 28-29. Prior to the final series of the regular season, both teams entered the three-game set tied for sixth place in the SSAC Baseball standings with a 9-12 conference record.
On Thursday afternoon, Apr. 28, the Rams and Toppers of Blue Mountain split a doubleheader, with Mobile winning in walk-off fashion in game one, and later fallling to Blue Mountain in game two, 11-6. In the series finale and rubber match on Friday, the Rams came away with the 10-8 victory in an offensive shootout and earn the series win. The series victory for Mobile hands the Rams sole possession of sixth place in the current conference standings with the SSAC Baseball Championship Tournament scheduled for next week in Columbus, Ga.
Game One Recap: Mobile 8, Blue Mountain 7 (7 Innings)
Outfielder Jared Whittle was the game one hero to begin the final series of the regular season against Blue Mountain, driving in the winning run from second following an RBI single to right field in the bottom of the seventh inning. Mobile won 8-7 over the Toppers in the series-opening game as the walk-off win on Thursday was Mobile's eighth walk-off win of the year.
Whittle reached base each at-bat in game one, finishing 3-for-3 at the plate with the game-winning RBI and working a base-on-balls. In addition to Whittle's great offensive game, Samuel Plash blasted not one, but two homers against the Toppers' pitching staff. Plash's two homers were his 11th and 12th of the season, which leads the team.
Both Blake Roberts and Tucker Musgrove recorded two RBIs each off doubles in the ballgame, as Roberts finished 2-for-3 at the dish and Musgrove 2-for-4. Musgrove got the start on the mound, finishing with 4 1/3 innings pitched with five strikeouts. Musgrove got a no-decision in the victory as Trevor Wells was awarded the win on the mound.
Game Two Recap: Blue Mountain 11, Mobile 6
In game two, the bats started hot for the Toppers as Blue Mountain's offense managed to put up three runs in both the first and second innings. The Toppers followed the hot start at the plate with a run in the third to go up 7-2 after three innings. The Rams managed to score one run in both the first and second innings to get on the scoreboard.
Later in the game, Blue Mountain scored insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings before adding two more runs in the top of the ninth. The Toppers managed to score at least one run in six of the nine innings played.
Offensively, Mobile's big inning came in the eighth, where the Rams scored three of their six runs. Tucker Musgrove finished 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs in the game two loss, being the only Ram to record more than one hit. Christian Waltman recorded an RBI double in the defeat as Jared Whittle reached base two more times, finishing 1-for-4 with a walk.
Mobile Head Coach Jon Seymour was forced to use six pitchers in the loss to Blue Mountain. Matthew Holston highlighted the pitching category for the Rams on Thursday evening, finishing with three innings of work from out of the bullpen and allowing just one hit. Holston struck out three batters and did not issue a walk.
Game Three Recap: Mobile 10, Blue Mountain 8
In the series finale on Friday, Mobile's offense exploded early, pushing across eight runs through the first five innings. Starting pitcher Bailey Sellers cruised on the mound for the first six innings for Mobile, allowing just one run off four hits. Sellers notched seven strikeouts in his six innings of work as Mobile led the Toppers 8-1 going into the final three innings.
However, Blue Mountain came alive late in the game, scoring seven runs off of reliver Caleb Coffey in the top of the seventh to tie the game at eight runs a piece. Mobile immediately answered in the bottom half of the seventh inning with sacrifice fly by Brett Buck that scored Jared Whittle. With Mobile out in front by one run, the Rams scored an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth before reliever Ethan McPherson shut things down on the mound and earned a six-out save for the win.
Brett Buck led the Rams with four RBIs in the victory, three off his eighth home run of the season back in the fifth inning. Samuel Plash also managed to hit his 13th homer of the year in the series finale, his third of the series against Blue Mountain. Plash finished with three RBIs.
Mobile reliever Hunter Evans was awarded the win on the mound, who improves to 2-0. Evans only threw a third of an inning to escape the seventh-inning jam by Blue Mountain.
Following the game, eight seniors of the University of Mobile Baseball program were honored for Senior Day. Coach Jon Seymour spoke to the crowd and seniors after presenting each with a plaque and jar of dirt from Jacobs Field. Seniors honored are listed below:
With the series victory, the Rams finish the 2022 regular season with a 25-18 overall record and 11-13 SSAC record. Mobile will return to action in the SSAC Baseball Championship Tournament next week in Columbus, Ga. Times and opponents are currently TBD.
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.
