Tuesday, May 24, 2005

#4 MOBILE STAYS ALIVE WITH 2-1 WIN OVER
NORTH GEORGIA IN EIGHT INNINGS

DECATUR , Ala. – The 4th seeded University of Mobile found themselves one out away from elimination in the 2005 NAIA Softball National Championship. However, a two-out infield single in the bottom of the seventh inning and a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning sent the Mobile Ram players into a celebration on the third base line at Decatur 's Wilson Morgan Park in Decatur, Ala.

Mobile (51-12) advances with a 2-1 win in eight innings over North Georgia College and State University (45-18). Mobile stays alive to play the winner of #2 Houston Baptist University (Texas) and #3 California Baptist University at 5:30 p.m. today (Tuesday). North Georgia, one of only two unseeded teams to advance to the round of eight, ends their season after an impressive 4-2 run in the national tournament.

North Georgia , having already beaten #2 seeded Houston Baptist and #6 seeded Point Loma Nazarene University ( Calif. ) in the tournament, scored first with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Candace Schubert reached base on a leadoff walk, but was thrown out trying to steal second for the first out of the inning. Junior Lynsey Thompson was then hit by a pitch. After a fly out by second baseman Annie Ball for the second out, Lara Seasom walked, moving Thompson to second base. Freshman Krista Bess tallied North Georgia 's only RBI with a single to center field, driving in Thompson.

In the bottom of the fourth, Mobile started a rally of their own as they posted back-to-back singles by Juniors Angelica Yrigoyen and Mayret Perez to start the inning. After a successful sacrifice bunt by catcher Meredith Tanner, North Georgia pitcher Beth Willis intentionally walked Christie Jackson to set up a force play. With one out, Willis then got Rachel West to strike out and then Karine Gagne to pop up to the shortstop and the rally was over.

In the game, Mobile left nine runners on base, including two runners left on third base. The score remained 1-0 in favor of North Georgia until the bottom of the seventh inning. Gagne led off the inning with a double to left field. Holley Knowles sacrificed Gagne to third base with one out. Sylvie Bedgood then struck out swinging and it appeared that North Georgia 's Willis would get out of another jam. However, Evelyne Pare hit a sharp ground ball in the hole between shortstop and third base. North Georgia shortstop, Thompson, made a great effort to get to the ball, but her throw to first for the out was not in time as the tying run crossed the plate.

After a quick one-two-three top of the eighth inning for North Georgia , Mobile threatened again. Perez led off the bottom of the inning with a walk, followed by a single to center field by Tanner, moving Perez to third base. North Georgia decided on an intentional walk to set up a force at every base with no outs. However, on ball two of the intentional walk, Willis' pitch sailed high and out of the reach of the catcher for a wild pitch that scored Perez from third for the game winning run.

Linden Jones (22-4) earned the win for Mobile by pitching four innings of scoreless, one-hit softball while striking out six batters. Ann Marie Odum started the game for the Rams pitching four inngs, allowing one run on two hits and striking out five batters. Willis (30-9) took the hard luck loss as she tossed seven innings, allowing two runs on eight hits while striking out six batters.

Box Score