JACOBS FIELD, MOBILE, Ala. - The University of Mobile Baseball team returned to Jacobs Field over the weekend, hosting the SSAC Baseball Series of the Week at Jacobs Field from Mar. 24-25. Two ranked conference foes squared off in the three-game series, with No. 8 Mobile winning the series opener over No. 14 Loyola University (La.) 14-11 on Friday afternoon. The following day, Loyola managed a doubleheader sweep over the Rams, handing Mobile their first losses at home on the season, while winning the series. For Mobile, the two losses on Saturday drops the overall record to 21-6 on the season and 7-2 in conference play.
Friday Offensive Shootout Opens Conference Series of the Week
On Friday afternoon, the Rams and Loyola met for the first time this season, with Mobile controlling the majority of the game. Mobile managed to score two early runs in the game, one in the first inning and one in the second, before Loyola hit the scoreboard with one run in the top of the third. The Wolf Pack then took a one-run lead one inning later with a two-run fourth inning. However, the lead was short-lived as the Rams answered back in the bottom half of the fourth, scoring three runs, and later tacking on four more runs in the fifth. With the lead in favor of the Rams 9-3 entering the latter part of the series opener, Mobile looked to be on cruise control for a victory.
Loyola did not go down without a fight, however, as the Wolf Pack sparked an offensive rally in the top of the seventh with two outs on the board. After Mobile recorded the first two outs without giving up a run in the seventh, Loyola then sent nine-straight batters to the plate with eight runs coming home. The massive inning and comeback gave Loyola the lead, 11-9. Next half inning, it was now Mobile needing a spark from the offense to mount a comeback.
In the bottom of the seventh, Mobile's offense did in fact manage to pick up the pitching staff as the Rams tied the game at 11-11 with a two-run home run by Trevor Andrews. One inning later, Mobile grabbed the lead back with a three-run eighth and eventually won the high-scoring series opener, 14-11.
Mobile tallied 20 hits in the game, while Loyola managed 14. The Wolf Pack defense struggled in the first game of the series, committing a whopping seven errors in the game. Only six of Mobile's 14 runs went down in the box score as earned runs following the seven defensive miscues. For the Rams, Mobile committed just one error in the game.
At the plate, Trevor Wells led Mobile by tallying three RBIs in the game. Wells smacked his ninth homer of the year, while Trevor Andrews recorded his 11th home run of the season in the win. Both Wells and Andrews continue to lead Mobile in long balls during the 2023 campaign. Jackson Breal had a fantastic afternoon at the dish, finishing 5-for-6 with five singles and collecting two RBIs. Sean Mason and Sam Bowman also recorded three or more hits in the victory, with Mason finishing 4-for-5 with two runs scored and Bowman recording a 3-for-6 batting line with a run scored. Overall, Mobile saw nine hitters finish with at least one hit in the game one win.
Loyola Bounces Back with Two Wins on Saturday
The next day, Mobile and Loyola met in a doubleheader to wrap up the SSAC Baseball Series of the Week, with Mobile riding a high after the high-scoring game one win. In the afternoon's first game, a scheduled seven-inning affair, Mobile once again started strong early, scoring three runs across the first and second innings. However, the Loyola pitching staff then shut down the bats of Mobile following the second inning.
In the meantime, Loyola began chipping away at the lead, scoring at least one run over the next five innings. The Wolf Pack's big inning came in the seventh and final inning where Loyola tallied six runs. The offensive spark for Loyola gave the visiting team the 12-3 lead entering the bottom of the seventh. After being shut out over the last four innings, Mobile's bats caught fire in the final inning, with Tucker Musgrove starting the comeback with a leadoff homer to right center field. Eventually, Mobile managed to score six runs and brought the winning run to the plate with the bases loaded. However, the Wolf Pack escaped the jam as the Rams' comeback fell short. Loyola evened the weekend series with a 12-9 win.
In Saturday's first game, Loyola outhit Mobile 15-10, with four players from the Mobile lineup finishing with two hits each. Jackson Breal continued his hot series with two more hits in the loss, while Trevor Wells once again led Mobile in RBIs with four. Wells homered again against the Wolf Pack, giving him 10 on the season. Tucker Musgrove tallied three RBIs in the defeat, one coming from his fourth blast of the year.
Later on Saturday afternoon, the two teams faced off in the rubber match of the series with a scheduled nine-inning game. However, Loyola came out firing with the bats, pushing across five runs in the top of the first inning and later adding seven more runs across the second and third innings. Eventually, the game was called early due to the NAIA's run rule after seven innings as Loyola won the series finale with a 18-1 victory.
Mobile Head Coach Jon Seymour was forced to use six pitchers in the ballgame, with all but one allowing at least one run. Jaden Brown pitched the top of the seventh, recording a scoreless frame without giving up a hit and striking out two. The Loyola pitching staff held Mobile's bats quiet until the bottom of the sixth where the Rams scored their one and only run. After Seymour benched the majority of the starting lineup, freshman Breyton Cornelius blasted his first collegiate home run to deep center field to put the Rams on the scoreboard in the sixth. The at-bat for Cornelius was just his ninth of the season.
Overall, Saturday was a day to forget for UM Baseball, dropping the first games at Jacobs Field. Prior to the weekend series, Mobile entered with a 16-0 record this season at home.
Non-Conference Action Returns
Currently, Mobile is scheduled to face Point University on the road this upcoming Tuesday, Mar. 28 with a doubleheader in West Point, Ga. However, due to weather, there is a possibility that the doubleheader is either postponed or canceled. Mobile's next conference series is set for next weekend at home as the Rams host Brewton-Parker College on Friday and Saturday, Mar. 31 - Apr. 1.
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.
