GULF SHORES, Ala-- The 25th-ranked University of Mobile softball team opened up pool play action at the 2011 Gulf Coast Invitational with a convincing 9-0 win over Cumberland Friday at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex and then capped the day with a 2-1 win over Oklahoma Baptist.
Kamaron Strickland cruised through a complete game effort, fanning three and allowing only 4 hits in the shutout, while Mobile roughed up Cumberland starter Allison Blackwood for 5 runs on 7 hits in 3 innings.
Mayles Rodriguez finished 2-2 with a pair of walks, 4 RBI and a home run out of the leadoff spot for the Lady Rams, while Milagros Lozada finished 2-4 with 4 RBI and another bomb. Jessica Rogers and Jessica Swanson each added 2-4 efforts at the plate.
CaSarah Gilliam was the lone Cumberland batter to record multiple hits, as she finished 2-3 hitting out of the 2-hole.
Mobile started the scoring with a 2-run homer off the bat of Lozada in the 1st and went on to score in every inning but the 2nd.
After Rodriguez's leadoff homer in the 3rd made it 3-0 Mobile, the Lady Rams basically put the game away with 2 more in the 4th as Rodriguez doubled home Nicole Walker and Hannah Beth Baker.
Following a route in Friday's opener, the Lady Rams had to rally to squeak by Oklahoma Baptist 2-1 in their final game on Friday.
Victoria Buie went the distance to grab the win for Mobile, striking out 9 batters and allowing only 1 run on 4 hits. Oklahoma Baptist struck first with small ball in the 1st. Alyssa Henkes started the frame with a bloop hit and moved all the way to 3rd on a sac bunt. She then scored on a bunt single from Theresa Garcia. But, Buie settled down from there, fanning a batter to end the frame and allowing only 2 hits the rest of the way.
Offensively, Mobile recorded only 3 hits, with Jessica Rogers going 2-2 with a double and 2 RBI and Hannah Beth Baker finishing 1-2 with 1 run.
With Buie cruising, Mobile did all the offensive damage they would need in the 5th. Korie Fontenot walked, Baker singled and Mayles Rodriguez walked to start the frame, and after a strikeout Rogers smashed a 2-run single off the third baseman's glove to bring home the winning tallies.
Mobile (16-3) returns to action Saturday at 11 am against Lindsey Wilson College.