Day I Recap

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. - The University of Mobile and Spring Hill College each won two games on Friday as both teams competed in the first round of the Gulf Coast Invitational played at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala. It was Spring Hill making the most noise with an exciting upset of 3^rd-ranked Oklahoma City University.

Spring Hill has emerged as the leader in pool number 3 of the 16-team tournament by taking their first two games on Friday.  Spring Hill College defeated Southern Wesleyan 7-2 in their opener behind a strong pitching performance from Aracely Rodriguez who threw five solid innings allowing just two runs on three hits in picking up the victory.

In game number two, the Badgers rallied for four runs all coming with two outs in the bottom of the sixth for a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over third-ranked Oklahoma City University.

In other pool 3 action, Oklahoma City defeated Culver-Stockton 6-1 and Southern Wesleyan defeated Culver-Stockton 7-4 in eight innings

In pool 1 play, 2^nd-ranked University of Mobile (13-3) also finished day one with a perfect 2-0 record. 

The Rams rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win game one versus William Woods University 4-2 and scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth to defeat University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma (USAO) 4-1 in the night cap.

In other pool 1 action, Faulkner University defeated William Woods 7-6 and University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma defeated Faulkner 3-2

21^st-ranked William Penn College defeated 17^th-ranked Lee University a surprising 9-0. The William Penn Lady Statesmen, playing back-to-back games, dropped a 5-1 decision to unranked St. Gregory’s University.

11^th-ranked Houston Baptist University held on for an exciting 3-2 win over North Georgia. In that game Katelyn Griffin hit two home runs including a solo home run in the top of sixth inning breaking a 2-2 tie as Houston Baptist University won their second game of the day at the Gulf Coast Invitational.

Pool play will wrap up Saturday with an 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. session of games scheduled. After an evening of heavy rains, mostly sunny skies now pervade as another day of exciting tournament action is poised to get underway.

Tournament Standings as of 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 6, 2004

Pool One  (Maximum of 8 runs per game)

Team                 Win     Loss             Runs Allowed             Runs Scored   Difference
1. Mobile            2          0                   3                                  8                      +5
2. Faulkner          1          1                   9                                  9                      0
3. USAO            1          1                   6                                  4                      -2
4. W. Woods      0          2                   11                                8                      -3

Pool Two  (Maximum of 8 runs per game)

Team                  Win     Loss             Runs Allowed             Runs Scored   Difference
1. Thomas U.       2          0                   6                                  11                    +5
2. William P.        1          1                   5                                  9                      +4
3. Saint Greg.      1          1                   9                                  9                      0
4. Lee U.             0          2                   11                                2                      -9

Pool Three  (Maximum of 8 runs per game)

Team                  Win     Loss             Runs Allowed             Runs Scored   Difference
1. Spring Hill       2          0                   4                                  11                    +7
2. Okla. City       1          1                   5                                  8                      +3
3. S. Wesleyan    1          1                   12                                9                      -3
4. Culver St.        0          2                   13                                6                      -7        

Pool Four  (Maximum of 8 runs per game)

Team                  Win     Loss             Runs Allowed             Runs Scored   Difference
1. HBU               2          0                   2                                  11                    +9
2. NGCSU          1          1                   3                                  10                    +7
3. Lindsey W.      1          1                   8                                  6                      -2
4. Martin L.         0          2                   14                                0                      -14