HATTIESBURG, Miss. - For the first time during the 2023 season, the University of Mobile Baseball team endured a series sweep on Monday evening, Apr. 17, falling in three-straight road conference games to No. 16 William Carey University. Mobile, ranked No. 7 in the latest NAIA Baseball Top 25 Coaches' Poll, traveled to Hattiesburg, Miss. on Friday, Apr. 14 for a doubleheader against the Crusaders, and later wrapped up the series on Monday evening after weather postponed the series finale originally scheduled for Saturday, Apr. 15.
The three losses for Mobile in the SSAC Baseball Series of the Week drops the Rams to a tie for first in the current SSAC Baseball standings, while dropping the overall record on the year to 28-9.
Full Series Recap
In game one on Friday, the Rams fell 9-2 to William Carey, while also being outhit, 12-6. Samuel Plash got the scoring started for Mobile in the top of the first inning with a solo home run, but the Crusaders managed to score nine runs following Plash's solo shot, seven coming in the fifth inning alone. Mobile pushed across one run in the top of the seventh following a Landon Moore RBI fielder's choice, but the deficit became too much for Mobile in the end.
Attempting to answer back in the nightcap on Friday, game two became and back and forth game between the two conference rivals, with Mobile trailing 5-4 after the first three innings. However, the Rams managed a two-run fifth inning to take a 6-5 lead to the latter part of the game. William Carey then answered in the seventh by regaining the lead off two runs, but Mobile followed in the eighth with two runs of their own. The score was tied at eight runs a piece entering the final inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, William Carey earned a walk-off victory over Mobile, after the Crusaders loaded the bases. The 9-8 walk-off win gave the Crusaders the doubleheader sweep on Friday and the series victory. In the loss, Mobile recorded seven hits and saw Trevor Andrews smack two home runs. Andrews continues to lead Mobile with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs this year. Meanwhile, William Carey tallied 13 hits in game two in line for the walk-off.
Finally, Mobile looked to salvage the series on Monday, battling the Crusaders in the series finale. Monday's game quickly became a pitcher's duel as Mobile and William Carey remained close throughout the first seven innings, tallying just three total runs. With William Carey on top 2-1, the Crusaders' bats exploded in the bottom of the eighth, scoring six total insurance runs to take a seven-run lead to the final inning. From there, the Mobile bats could not mount the comeback as William Carey defeated the Rams 8-1 in the finale for the series sweep.
Overall, William Carey outhit Mobile 33-19 throughout the series, tying Mobile in the conference standings with a 13-5 conference record. Because William Carey swept the Rams, the Crusaders currently own the tiebreaker, dropping Mobile to second overall.
Home at Jacobs Field for One Final Series of 2023 Season
Mobile will attempt to bounce back from the series sweep this upcoming weekend as the Rams return home to Jacobs Field for the final home series of the season. The Rams will host Talladega College for a three-game series on Apr. 21-22, kicking off the series on Friday evening with a 6:00 p.m. CT game. On Saturday, Mobile and Talladega will play a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m. CT, with Senior Day festivities following both games.
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.
