May 8, 2004

Rams end season with 5-4 loss to Belhaven College

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- One day after defeating Loyola University, 5-4, to advance to the semi-final game of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, the University of Mobile (23-26) fell one run short of the championship game, losing 5-4 to Belhaven College.

Belhaven, who eventually won the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Tournament with a 5-1 win over LSU-Shreveport in the championship game, scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to rally for the win.

Leading 4-3 entering the ninth, Chris Copeland (3-7) who had come into the game in relief of starting pitcher John Price, walked the leadoff batter to begin the inning.  After the next batter reached base on an error by third baseman Ricky Smith, Copeland got centerfielder Chase Coley on strikes to register the first out of the inning.

With two runners on base and only one hit, leadoff hitter Nick Brister singled in the tying run.  One batter later, Ashley Chism singled home Jonathan Robertson with the game-winning run.

Copeland pitched 4.2 innings in relief giving up just the two runs (one earned) on two hits, both coming in the ninth inning.  Entering the final inning, Copeland had retired all 10 batters he had faced. 

With the loss, Mobile ends their season at 23-26.

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