May 23, 2006

DECATUR, Ala. - At the NAIA Softball National Championship at Wilson Morgan Park in Decatur, Alabama, the number one seed in the tournament University of Mobile (Ala.) (48-2) defeated California Baptist University (54-6) 6-4 in eight innings of play.

The Mobile Rams took advantage of a four-run eighth inning to outlast the Lancers of California Baptist.  With two outs in the inning, Angelica Yrigoyen reached on an error.  Mayret Perez was then issued a walk and both runners advanced on a wild pitch.  Designated player Corey Race doubled to deep-right field to score the first of two runs.  Adding to their lead, catcher Kristen Hayes, hit a two-run homerun over the left field fence, scoring herself and Perez. 

The Lancers threatened again in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run rally, which began with a single down the left field line by Chantal Millard.  Nikki Lowe, third baseman for California Baptist, drove in two runs when she hit a homerun over the left field fence.

Mobile scattered five hits among five different players in the contest while Linden Jones pitched eight complete innings, striking out 11 batters to improve her record to 30-1.

Three players for California Baptist contributed two hits each in the game, Millard, Lowe, and Shannon Brandt. Candace Thomas pitched a complete game while dropping her record to 34-3 on the season. 

Mobile (48-2) stays undefeated in the tournament and advances in the winner's bracket to play at 3 p.m. on Tuesday against the winner of Concordia University (Calif.) (45-17)/ Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.) (45-15).  California Baptist falls into the loser's bracket and will play at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday against the winner of Lee University (Tenn.) (55-13)/ Trevecca Nazarene University (Tenn.) (46-14).