Rams Split Pair

MOBILE, Ala-- The University of Mobile baseball team split a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference doubleheader at home with Loyola University Saturday. Mobile took the opener 8-1 in 7 innings and Loyola responded by taking the finale 1-0.

Mobile (1-3, 1-3) and Loyola (2-3, 2-3) finish the series at 1 pm on Sunday. The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but was pushed back due to rain.

In the opener, the Rams tallied 8 runs on 10 hits to win 8-1 in 7 innings. Michael Clay (1-1) picked up the win by limiting Loyola to 1 run on 2 hits in 6 innings of work. The lefty fanned 5 and walked 5. Mike Kelly was tagged with the loss for the Wolfpack after surrendering 7 runs on 9 hits in 3.1 innings on the mound.

Dustin Lee went 2-2 with a solo homer, Justin Beck finished 2-3 with 2 runs scored and Cody Barber went 2-4 with 1 RBI. Cameron White and Brad Sheffield added 2 RBI apiece for the Rams.

After going down in order in the 1st, Mobile opened the scoring in the 2nd when a RBI-groundout from Hunter Norris plated Cody Sanderson, who led off the inning with a single.

The Rams then put the game away with a pair of runs in the 3rd and a 4-spot in the 4th. Beck and Barber singled to open the 3rd and one out later, Sheffield doubled them in for the 3-0 lead. In the 4th, Mobile sent 9 batters to the plate, scoring 4 runs on 4 hits. Lee led off the inning with a solo homer to left, and White capped the inning six batters later with a 2-run single to left.

Loyola's George Smith blanked Mobile with 7 innings of 4-hit ball in the finale, fanning a pair and walking 3. Kevin Fontenot picked up the save with a pair of k's in a perfect 9th. Jeff Lyons (0-1) picked up the loss after allowing the winning run in the 8th inning. Lyons worked 2 innings of 2-hit relief. Chris Peacock started for Mobile and threw 7 innings of 5-hit, shutout ball while fanning 4 and walking only 1.

Jake Halverson went 2-4 at the plate for Mobile as the Rams managed only five hits. Caleb Templet finished 3-4 for Loyola with the game-winning RBI single in the 8th. Loyola's Ryan Scott got on with a 1-out infield single and moved into scoring position when Mike Kelly was hit by a pitch. Templet then delivered his game-winning hit up the middle.