Mobile, Ala. – The University of
Mobile softball team overcame a slow start and a 1-0 deficit to
defeat Faulkner University 3-1 in their opening game of the
Region 13 tournament held at Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange
Beach, AL. The No. 1-ranked Rams improve to 47-5-1 on the season
as they advance to the second round against Thomas University
tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.
Held hitless through five innings, the Rams
came out flat in their first game of the tournament. To make
matters worse, Missy Passley (24-5) gave up her sixth homerun of
the season in the top of the fourth, as the Faulkner University
Eagles took a 1-0 lead.
“Missy is the type of pitcher that if she
doesn’t make something break, or something move that if you put
the middle of the bat to the ball it’s going to go pretty far,”
Coach Clark said. “Not taking anything away from the kid, but I
think it was more a matter of Missy not making a good pitch.”
A resilient Rams squad fired back in the
bottom of the sixth with three runs.
Brenda Box (1-for-3) scored to tie the
score 1-1
on an error by the centerfielder who dropped what should have
been a routine fly that was hit by Denisse Fuenmayor. With two outs and Meredith
Tanner and Stephanie Landrum both having been walked to load the bases,
Winter Guthrie ripped a 2 RBI, game-winning double up the
centerfield gap.
Passley (7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, and 8 SO) sealed
the win with a three-up, three-down top of the seventh.
“We need to come ready to play,” Coach
Clark said in retrospect. “I told them that we can’t come
walking in the park and think, ‘we’re going to get it done, and
wait to the 5th, 6th, or 7th
inning to make the adjustments.’ The other thing is, I’d like to
see a little more enthusiasm out of them. I think they’re just
looking ahead to the national tournament. Do I think it’s bad?
Yes. Do I think we’re going to be doing that at the national
tournament? No. I don’t think we’ll have a problem getting up at
the national tournament.”
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