MHicks posted on April 09, 2010 01:54
MOBILE, Ala-- The 25th-ranked University of Mobile softball team won the opener 7-1 to split Friday's non-conference twin bill with visiting Thomas University. The Night Hawks of Thomas won the finale 6-2.
Leslie Pickette got the win in the opener by limiting Thomas to 1 run on 2 hits in 5 innings of work, while fanning a pair. Jessica Palmer finished 3-3 with 2 RBI, Jessica Swanson finished 3-3 with 2 runs, Holli McLeod finished 2-4 with 2 RBI and Hannah Harrell drove in a pair.
Thomas actually led first by using small ball to push across Brook Brown in the 1st inning, but the Lady Rams got their bats going with a 5-run 4th innings thanks to five hits and two errors.
With one run in and runners on 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs, Palmer produced a RBI-single, Harrell followed with a RBI-hit and McLeod doubled home a pair. Mobile added two more in the 5th as Palmer and Harrell provided RBIs.
In the finale, a 4-run 1st and wasted opportunities doomed the Lady Rams. Christina Skulas went the distance for the win, allowing two earned on seven hits, with six strikeouts. Kamaron Strickland took the loss after allowing 4 earned on 4 hits in .2 innings of work.
After a quick out to begin the game, five of the next six Thomas batters reached to plate four and chase Strickland from the game.
Skulas went 3.2 innings of no-hit ball before Kirstyn Joiner got a single with 2 outs in the 4th, and later scored Mobile's first run on Palmer's infield RBI-hit with the bases loaded. But, Mobile left the bags loaded and only scored one.
The Night Hawks added single tallies in the 5th and 6th innings to make it 6-1, but the Lady Rams tried to rally in the 6th. Joiner, Swanson and Ally Scott reached to load the bases with no outs and Palmer singled home one to make it 6-2. Skulas buckled down though, and got two strikeouts and a fly out to strand three more.
Mobile (28-15, 7-3) returns to Gulf Coast Athletic Conference action at No. 14 William Carey University Tuesday, April 13 at 4 pm.