March 26, 2007

MOBILE, Ala. - The No. 8 University of Mobile Lady Rams jumped ahead early and scored in bunches late to finish off the 29th-ranked Spring Hill College Lady Badgers 8-0 in Game 2 of Saturday's double header, after holding on for a 2-0 victory in the opener. The sweep knocked the previously 4-0 Lady Badgers out of 1st place in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, and put Mobile in the top spot.

The star of Game 1, Yaicey Sojo, got things started on the right foot with a leadoff double to the left-center gap. Teammate Abby Campbell brought her home by singling off of second baseman Tiffany Jones' glove.After Mobile Starter Ginger Reeser worked out of a bases loaded jam in the 3rd, Mobile used some power and small ball to plate 2 runs in the 4th inning. Cristina Rodriguez led things off with a solo shot and then Taylor Lee Phillips started off the small ball with a single. After moving to 2nd on a groundout, she swiped 3rd and scored on a grounder by Jessica Watson.

Then, the Lady Rams broke the game wide-open with a 4-spot in the bottom of the 5th to take a 7-0 edge. Two errors and a walk loaded the bases with 1 out and then Cristina Rodriguez continued her hot-hitting on the day with a 2-run double to center field. Phillips and Kristin Jolly followed with a RBI single and a sacrifice fly, respectively.

Mobile iced the game in the 6th inning thanks to the 8-run rule. Lauren Thomas led off with a single and came all the way around when Sojo's sacrifice bunt was thrown away down the right field line. Mobile improves to 22-9 on the season, with a 3-1 conference mark. Ginger Reeser went the full 6 innings, allowing 3 hits and fanning 4 and moving her record to 9-5 on the year.

GAME ONE
MOBILE, Ala. - The #8 University of Mobile Lady Rams softball team took down league-leading Spring Hill College 2-0 behind strong pitching from Nikki Madden and a timely bomb from Yaicey Sojo Saturday.

The Lady Rams' Madden out dueled reigning Region XIII Pitcher of the Week Lauren Herrera in picking up her 10th win of the season. Herrera made only 1 mistake on the day, but it proved enough for Mobile to walk away victorious.

Madden went the distance, holding the Spring Hill batters to 5 hits and fanning 4. She also used her defense to get out of trouble, when need be. After a leadoff double by Cara Payne in the 5th, right fielder Kelyn Mendoza gunned her out at third trying to advance on a fly out, and in the 6th, after giving up a walk and a single to begin the frame Taylor Lee Phillips and Jessica Watson turned a 4-3 double play to end any threat.

The game also began with Madden and the Lady Rams' defense getting in and out of trouble. It appeared Spring Hill would draw first blood when Cara Payne smacked a leadoff double, but after being sacrificed over to 3rd, Jennifer Gomez gunned Payne down trying to score on a ground out.

Then, the Lady Rams had their turn and took advantage of it. Lauren Thomas reached base on a fielder's choice in the 3rd, and then Yaicey Sojo, who smacked a NAIA record tying 3 homeruns in Game 1 at Belhaven Thursday, delivered a massive 2-run homerun to deep left for the 2-0 margin of victory.