Story by Chad Waller, Director of Communications & Sports Information
Pictures courtesy of Rick Dominowski, Click HERE to order

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – (Box Score) Emily Nolan’s (pictured) three-run home run in the eighth inning was the game-winner for No. 1 seed LSU Alexandria (La.) as the Generals knocked off No. 6 Mobile (Ala.), 5-2, on Monday at the 35th Annual NAIA Softball World Series, presented by Security National Bank and Morningside College. Nolan’s 11th roundtripper of the year came with two outs and handed the Generals their first-ever World Series victory.

LSU Alexandria, who is playing in its second-straight World Series as the No .1 seed, stays alive in the elimination bracket and will take on the loser of No. 2 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) / No. 3 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Tuesday at 4 p.m. CDT.

A team in the top 10 nationally with 73 home runs, LSU Alexandria is no stranger to winning games with power. The Generals have four players with 10-or-more long balls on the year. In the loss on Saturday, LSU Alexandria had one home run and three doubles en route to 12 hits. Today, the Generals again posted four extra-base hits to tally 10 base knocks.

LSU Alexandria took a 2-0 lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Raquel Granados and Julinn Torres each collected a run-scoring double in each inning.

Mobile tied the count at 2-2 with a home run off the bat of Jordan Coleman in the bottom of the sixth. She drove in pinch-runner Chelsey Sizemore, who ran for Emily Vickrey. With that effort in the sixth inning, the Rams sent the game to extra-innings for the second time in three contests in this event.

In the top of the eighth, the table was set for Nolan with a double by Kelsey Hollier and single by Granados. She stepped up and launched a 1-0 pitch to centerfield for the game-winner.

Catherine Heflin, who appeared in the sixth inning, was credited with the win for LSU Alexandria. She recorded her first-ever victory of the year (1-0) as she went 2.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits. Starter Marci West tossed 5.0 innings and gave up one run on six hits.

The Rams’ Karley Sanders dropped to 6-3 in the circle. She went the distance giving up five runs and three walks. She added five strikeouts.

Granados, Hollier, Nolan and Torres each finished with a pair of hits for the Generals.

Taylor Clinkenbeard led the Mobile bats with a 3-for-4 effort. She finished her World Series with a .700 batting average (7-for-10) and two runs scored. Vickrey and Coleman gathered two hits apiece.

With a 1-2 World Series record, Mobile ends its season at 38-14. In their 18th World Series appearance, the Rams now stand 51-36 in the event.

Stretch Internet, the NAIA’s official video-streaming company of 17 select NAIA national championship events, will be broadcasting all 19 games of the 2015 NAIA Softball World Series. The All-World Series package can be purchased for $20. For more information, including how to register for an account, click here.

The double-elimination event is being played out at the Elizabeth & Irving Jensen Softball Complex. The City of Sioux City and Morningside College serve as official hosts for the first time. For more information on the 2015 NAIA Softball World Series, click here.