TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - In the first games since falling from the top spot in the NAIA Softball Top 25 rankings, the University of Mobile Softball team hit the road for four road conference games across Thursday and Friday, Mar. 23-24, beginning with a doubleheader sweep against Blue Mountain Christian in Blue Mountain, Miss. on Thursday. Mobile then concluded the four-game road trip with a doubleheader against Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Ala. on Friday where the Rams eventually split the two games with the Tigers. Overall, Mobile's record moves to 22-7 on the season, while the conference record moves to 9-3.
Thursday Recap: Mobile Takes Two from BMCU
On Thursday afternoon, Mobile began the conference road trip with a 4-0 shutout win over the Toppers of Blue Mountain Christian. Three of Mobile's four runs came across the first and second innings as Caitlin McRee tallied two RBIs off two hits early in the game. McRee ended the first game with a 2-for-4 battling line. With the Rams up 3-0, Mobile then pushed across an add-on run in the top of the fourth, capitalizing on a Blue Mountain error. The Rams scored two runs off Topper errors on Thursday as Blue Mountain ended game one with four total miscues.
Across the seven innings, the Rams outhit Blue Mountain 10-2, with Mobile starting pitcher Emily Butts finishing with a complete game two-hit performance. Butts walked just one batter and added six strikeouts to her name against Blue Mountain. At the plate, Kristen Black and Madi Robertson both led Mobile with three hits a piece and combined for three of the Rams' four runs.
The Rams followed the game one victory with a 7-2 win in the nightcap on Thursday. Blue Mountain managed to push across the game's first two runs in the second and third innings as the Toppers led 2-0 going into the fourth. In the top of the fourth inning, Mobile scored their first run off a RBI single by Mattie Evans. The following two innings, Mobile's bats came alive and scored six total runs to eventually take the lead and win the game. Lillie Lanham notched a two-run double in the sixth to extend Mobile's lead to five runs.
Mobile's offense once again outhit Blue Mountain, tallying 12 hits compared to the Toppers' seven. Both Lillie Lanham and Kayla Moran each recorded two RBIs, with Moran finishing 2-for-4. Caitlin McRee, Mattie Evans, and Tempest Hebert all joined Moran in tallying two hits in the game two victory. Despite giving up two early runs, Mobile starting pitcher Brinkley Goff settled down nicely and was awarded the win in the pitcher's circle. Goff struck out six batters and did not issue a walk.
Friday Recap: Mobile Rebounds After Game One Upset
Following Mobile's doubleheader sweep on Thursday, the Rams traveled to Tuscaloosa, Ala. for a midday doubleheader on Friday with Stillman College. The Tigers of Stillman managed a 2-1 upset win over No. 10 Mobile, scoring the game's first run in the bottom of the first inning. Mobile then answered and tied the game at one run a piece in the top of the second, but the Tigers scored the go-ahead run one inning later. The remaining four innings went scoreless. For Stillman, the game one win is the first time in program history that the Tigers have defeated Mobile. The Rams entered Friday with a 16-0 all-time record over Stillman.
Stillman outhit the Rams 7-3 in the first game, with both teams committing three errors each. Mobile's seven, eight, and nine hitters in the lineup were responsible for the Rams' three hits, with Tempest Hebert knocking in Mobile's lone run. In the circle, Emily Butts was charged with the loss, walking two and allowing the two runs. One of Stillman's two runs was unearned.
In an attempt to rebound from the earlier loss, Mobile faced Stillman to conclude the doubleheader later on Friday afternoon, and got back into the win column with a 1-0 victory. The Rams sent six batters to the plate to open the game, with Katie Head working a bases-loaded walk to bring in the game's lone run. The remaining innings went scoreless in the game two pitcher's dual as Mobile's Brinkley Goff came away the victor in the battle with a shutout performance from the circle. Goff allowed three hits and struck out one batter. Offensively, Mobile tallied six hits, two coming off the bats of Ashlyn Stewart and Kristen Black. Tempest Hebert and Mattie Evans were responsible for Mobile's other two hits.
Rams Continue Road Trip Next Week
Mobile will be back in action next weekend with four more conference games, with all four coming on the road in the state of Georgia. The Rams are scheduled to face Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Ga. on Friday, Mar. 31 with a doubleheader scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CT, and will follow that with a doubleheader the following day against Middle Georgia State in Cochran, Ga.
The Rams are 2-2 this season against Brewton-Parker and Middle Georgia State.
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.
