HATTIESBURG, Miss-- The 10th-ranked University of Mobile softball team earned a split with 2nd-ranked William Carey Wednesday by holding on for a 4-3 victory in the final game after dropping the opener 8-0 in 5 innings.
Mobile (26-8, 8-2) will battle Blue Mountain College in a non-conference doubleheader Thursday at 4 pm in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Victoria Buie turned in a gutsy performance in the circle to get the win in the finale by scattering 9 hits over 7 innings of 3-run ball. She struck out 6 and walked 5. Alyssa Boutwell took the loss for William Carey after giving up 3 earned runs on 6 hits in 7 innings of work.
Mayles Rodriguez went 2-4 at the top of the Mobile lineup, while Korie Fontenot finished 1-1 with a pinch-hit 3-run homer.
The Lady Rams struck first with a run on Kirstyn Joiner's RBI-groundout in the 1st, and the game stayed that way until the 6th. Both pitchers worked in and out of trouble, allowing a baserunner in every frame except for the top of the 2nd, leading up to the 6th. In the top of the inning, Fontenot hit her 3-run pinch-hit homer with a 1-2 count and 2 outs to give Mobile a 4-0 lead.
The Lady Crusaders answered right back with 3 runs in the bottom of the 6th as Jeana Erickson led off with an inside-the-park homer and Tan Montgomery drove in the 3rd run with a RBI-single. With runners at 1st and 2nd, Buie induced a groundout to end the threat. In the 7th, WCU put two on to start the frame before Buie fanned a pair. With two outs, Jasmine Shelby drew a walk to load the bags, but Buie again buckled down and got a pop out to short to clinch the win.
William Carey took the opener behind 5 shutout innings from Anna Ard, who was able to work around 5 hits and 5 walks, while striking out 6 batters. Haley Baker took the loss for Mobile after giving up 8 runs on 6 hits in 4.2 innings of work.
Nobody in the Mobile lineup recorded multiple hits, but Ally Scott, Mayles Rodriguez and Kirstyn Joiner all recorded a hit and drew a walk.
Judy Barber finished 2-3 with 5 RBI and a home run for William Carey.
Barber started the scoring with a RBI-single in the bottom of the 1st, and then the Lady Crusaders tacked on 4 more in the 2nd to take command of the game. With two outs and a runner on, William Carey got a hit and a walk to load the bags and Barber swatted a grand slam.
The game ended in the 5th when William Carey scored on a RBI-groundout from Sarah Beckman and a RBI-single from Missy Paulina.