MOUNT VERNON, Ga. - The University of Mobile Softball team hit the road to the state of Georgia for two conference doubleheaders across Thursday and Friday, Mar. 30-31 this week, facing No. 13 Middle Georgia State to begin the trip and ending with a meeting against Brewton-Parker College on Friday. Mobile, ranked No. 10 in the nation, finished the trip with a 3-1 record, splitting the doubleheader with Middle Georgia State, while sweeping the Barons of Brewton-Parker.
After the trip to Georgia, the Rams are now 25-8 overall on the season and 12-4 in SSAC action.
Thursday Recap - Rams Split with Knights
On Thursday afternoon, No. 10 Mobile looked for revenge over No. 13 Middle Georgia State after the Knights upset and swept Mobile in a doubleheader at the UM Softball Field on Mar. 19. In game one, the first five innings went scoreless as the game quickly became a pitcher's duel between Mobile starter Emily Butts and Beth Eddins of Middle Georgia State. In the bottom of the sixth, however, the Knights managed to break through on the scoreboard, tallying two runs in the inning. Needing just three outs and leading 2-0, Middle Georgia St. looked to close things out in the top half of the seventh.
Mobile did not go down without a fight in the top of the seventh though, as Tempest Hebert delivered an RBI double to put Mobile on the board and cut the deficit to just one. Later, Mattie Evans tied the game with an RBI single, and was followed by an RBI single by Kristen Black. With Mobile now out front in the final inning, the momentum shifted to visiting dugout as Emily Butts and the Rams recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the seventh to earn the comeback win.
Butts finished with the win in the pitcher's circle, throwing a complete game and allowing five hits. At the plate, Tempest Hebert finished 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Mattie Evans finished 1-for-2 with a walk and a RBI. Both Hebert and Evans were Mobile's eight and nine hitters in the lineup. Overall, the Rams outhit Middle Georgia St., 7-5.
Following the game one comeback win for the Rams, the two teams met again later in the afternoon with Middle Georgia State scoring first in the second inning and chasing Mobile starting pitcher Brinkley Goff from the game. One inning later off reliever Avery Harrell, the Knights tallied two more runs to go up 3-0 in the middle innings. Mobile finally hit the scoreboard in the top of the fourth via an RBI single by Katie Head, and followed that with a run in the top of the fifth to cut Middle Georgia State's lead to just one run.
However, the Knights caught fire at the plate in the fifth and sixth innings, eventually scoring seven runs across the two innings and ending the game early via the NAIA Softball run rule. Middle Georgia State responded with a 10-2 game two victory to finish the regular season 3-1 against the Rams this season.
In the game two defeat, Mobile was outhit 10-6, with Kristen Black leading the Rams with a 2-for-3 batting line. Katie Head and Madi Robertson were responsible for driving in both of Mobile's runs in the loss.
Friday Recap - Mobile Bounces Back with Sweep
On Friday afternoon one day after splitting a doubleheader against Middle Georgia State in Cochran, Ga., Mobile traveled to Mount Vernon, Ga. for a doubleheader against Brewton-Parker College. The Rams responded well 24 hours after the run-rule loss, shutting out the Barons in game one 5-0, and later finishing game two with a 3-0 win. Mobile outscored Brewton-Parker 8-0 across Friday's doubleheader.
In the game one victory, Emily Butts was stellar, pitching a complete game in the circle and finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with a two-run double. Butts led Mobile in runs batted in, while allowing just five Baron hits and striking out three. Katie Head led Mobile in hits with a 3-for-4 batting line, while Caitlin McRee finished 2-for-4 at the dish. The Rams outhit the Barons 12-5 to start the afternoon.
Later in the day, Brinkley Goff dominated from the circle in game two, securing a complete game one-hitter in the process. Goff struck out three batters and added a walk, throwing 90 total pitches in the game. Mobile pushed across the game's first run in the top of the fifth with a RBI single by Madilyn Sheffield. One inning later, the Rams recorded insurance runs in the sixth with a RBI double by Emily Butts and yet another RBI single by Sheffield. Mobile outhit the Barons in game two, 8-1.
For Madilyn Sheffield, the sophomore catcher finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Lillie Lanham tallied a 3-for-3 line at the plate in the game two win, while Tempest Hebert, Caitlin McRee, and Emily Butts all recorded one hit a piece.
Non-Conference Action Returns at Home
Following eight-straight games on the road, Mobile will make their return to the UM Softball Field this upcoming week with a Thursday non-conference doubleheader on Apr. 6. The 10th-ranked Rams will battle No. 11 Georgia Gwinnett at home on Thursday, scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. CT.
In the last six meetings between Georgia Gwinnett and Mobile, both teams have come away with three wins each, with Mobile winning the last three over the last two seasons.
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.
