HENDERSON, Tenn. - After a program-best nine consecutive wins to open the season, the University of Mobile Baseball team took their first road trip of the 2023 campaign over the weekend, facing Freed-Hardeman University for a four-game series on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 17-18. Mobile began the series with a statement win over the Lions, improving to a program-best 10-straight victories to open a season, but saw Freed-Hardeman bounce back in the nightcap to hand Mobile their first loss of the year. Throughout the series, the two non-conference foes split the series with two wins a piece as Mobile's overall record moves to 11-2 this season.
Mobile @ Freed-Hardeman Series Recap
Game One (Friday, 2/17): In game one on Friday afternoon, the Rams managed a 9-3 victory over the Lions. Entering the 2023 season, Freed-Hardeman is receiving votes for the NAIA Baseball Top 25 Coaches' Poll, but saw the unranked Rams come away with a six-run win to start the series. After Mobile scored a run in the top of the first via a solo home run by Tucker Musgrove, the Lions answered with a three-run bottom half of the first. However, that was the only offense Freed-Hardeman mustered in game one as the Rams scored eight unanswered runs throughout the rest of the game, including scoring seven in the final three innings.
In the final three innings, Trevor Andrews blasted two home runs across his final two at-bats, while Trevor Wells connected with a home run of his own in the final inning. Mobile out-hit the Lions 13-8 in game one, while relying on just two pitchers across the seven-inning game. Michael Sikes earned the win for Mobile, pitching four innings and allowing three runs off eight hits. Kyle White pitched the final three innings, picking up his first save of the year. White was lights out on the mound against Freed-Hardeman, not allowing a hit in the final three innings and striking out three.
Game Two (Friday, 2/17): Later in the afternoon following the 9-3 win, Mobile then fell to Freed-Hardeman for the first loss of the season. Mobile got off to a quick start again, this time scoring two runs in the first inning. However, Freed-Hardeman then scored three runs in the bottom of the first and later added three runs in the third inning. The Rams tied the game at six runs each in the top of the fifth inning, but Freed-Hardeman pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth. From there, the Lions added an insurance run in the sixth and won the game, 8-6. Despite the loss, Mobile out-hit Freed-Hardeman 11-6, and were led by Tucker Musgrove and Trevor Andrews with two RBIs each.
Unlike game one, neither team relied on home runs in game two. On the mound, Mobile used three pitchers, with left fielder Trevor Wells entering late to pitch 1 1/3 inning of hitless ball. Wells gave up an unearned run and walked two. Jeffrey Griffin got the start and was charged with the loss, giving up five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings to open the game.
Game Three (Saturday, 2/18): The following day, Freed-Hardeman picked up where the left off the night before and scored the win in game three of the series. Unlike the doubleheader the day before, game three became a pitcher's dual, with just seven hits being recorded in the game between both sides. The Lions won the game 2-1, scoring in the fourth and sixth innings. Mobile was held scoreless until the final inning where Trevor Wells blasted a solo homer to cut the lead to just one. However, Freed-Hardeman escaped the Mobile comeback in the final inning and handed the Rams their second-straight defeat.
Stephen Poche' earned the start on the mound for Mobile, pitching four innings and giving up just three hits. Both Haden Parker and Landon Moore followed Poche' with one inning of work each, allowing just two hits and one run combined. The Rams were out-hit in game three, 5-2.
Game Four (Saturday 2/18): Mobile salvaged the series and earned the win in game four to split the four-game series with Freed-Hardeman on the Lions' home field. Saturday's series finale win came in comeback fashion for Mobile, winning the game 6-5 despite trailing 5-3 through the middle innings. Mobile scored three unanswered runs across the fifth and sixth innings to eventually earn the win. Pitching for Freed-Hardeman struggled late, allowing Mobile's final two runs to be scored via a bases-loaded walk. Additionally, Trevor Wells and Jackson Breal homered for Mobile in game four, giving Wells three home runs in the series and Breal his first long ball as a Ram.
On the mound, Matthew Holston struggled on the bump to start, being charged with all five Freed-Hardeman runs. However, the bullpen was stellar for Mobile as Landon Montgomery, Trevor Andrews, and Tucker Musgrove combined to pitch 4 2/3 innings of relief work, allowing just two hits combined. Andrews was awarded the win, while Musgrove picked up his third save of the season.
Notable Series Performances
Across the four-game series split, Trevor Wells finished the series with a 4-for-12 line at the plate for Mobile, with three of his hits being home runs. Wells now has five home runs on the season following his three-homer series against Freed-Hardeman and tallied four RBIs. For Trevor Andrews, the transfer continued his great start to the season by finishing with a 4-for-12 line of his own. Andrews picked up two more homers, giving him a team-high six on the season, while earning a win on the mound by pitching two scoreless innings. Andrews leads Mobile with 29 RBIs through 13 games played.
Tucker Musgrove led Mobile with five hits in the series in 14 at-bats. Musgrove notched his second homer of the year in the series, while picking up four more RBIs. Additionally, Musgrove stole three bases in the series, giving him a team-high 11 steals in 12 games played. As a team, Mobile has 32 steals on the year, being caught just six times. After Mobile's weekend series with Freed-Hardeman, the Rams are hitting .347 as a team, scoring 106 totals runs and recording an on-base percentage north of .440. Mobile's team ERA on the bump sits at 5.54 on the year.
Back Home This Weekend
Following the first road trip of the year, Mobile is set to return home to Jacobs Field this upcoming weekend for a three game non-conference series against Dillard University on Feb. 24-25. Game one against Dillard is scheduled for Friday night at 6:00 p.m. CT, with a doubleheader to follow the next day 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.
