COLUMBUS, Ga. - The top-ranked University of Mobile Softball team earned their 51st victory of the 2022 season on Saturday afternoon following a 3-0 shutout win over the University of Science & Arts (Okla.). The win for Mobile advances the Rams to the semifinals of the 2022 NAIA Softball World Series where the team will return to action Monday night, May 30.
How It Happened
Mobile's Kristen Black got the scoring started on Saturday by driving in Chloe Buck with a single up the middle in the bottom of the second inning. In the fourth, Eila Infante gave the Rams some insurance with a two-run single to shallow left field. The 3-0 lead for Mobile held up as the Rams shut out the Drovers of Science & Arts.
Infante led Mobile with her two RBIs, while Black and Jaden Morace led the Rams with a pair of hits each. From the pitcher's circle, junior Emily Butts dominated, picking up right where she left off in her previous outing on Friday. Butts allowed just four hits in her complete-game win against the Drovers, earning the 24th win of the season for No. 24. Through two games of the 2022 NAIA Softball World Series, Butts has thrown 11 2/3 innings of scoreless ball.
Prior to Saturday's game, the Drovers' ace Emily Cerny was 17 strikeouts away from the NAIA All-Time Career record in strikeouts (1,411). Mobile's offense did not give in to the pressure of Cerny's strikeout pitch, however, as the Rams only struck out three times in seven innings.
The shutout for Mobile was the sixth of the 2022 NAIA Softball World Series and the 20th of the season for the top-seeded Rams.
Mobile's 2-0 start earns the Rams a date with the second-seeded Stars of Oklahoma City University on Monday night, May 30. First pitch between the top two seeds is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. CST and will be broadcasted live at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/naia/.
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.
