Mobile Scores Late to Ice Badgers, 7-1

No. 6 ranked University of Mobile (35-9, 25-2 GCAC) scored five unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning to turn a close 2-1 game into a 7-1 victory for the Rams on Friday night.

Mobile scored the first run of the game in the third when second baseman Jared Baria drove a run-scoring double into the gap in right-center.  The Rams then tacked on a second run in the sixth with a Kevin Orso solo homer over the centerfield fence.

The Badgers answered with a run in the bottom of the sixth when catcher Billy Saliski lifted a sacrifice fly to left that brought in pinch runner Dom Palumbo.  The Badgers would miss a golden opportunity to take the lead in the seventh when consecutive leadoff hits by second baseman Tom Connors and shortstop Blake Nelson resulted in runners on the corners with no outs.  Rams reliever Ira Turner, however, came into the contest, loaded the bases with a hit-batsman and then coaxed three Badgers into infield grounders that failed to score either Connors or Nelson from third.

In the eighth, the Rams blew the game open when two errors by the Badger infield allowed Mobile’s first two batters to reach base and hits by Baria, Orso, Daine Solomon and Cliff Downey scored five runs.

On the mound, Mobile starter Jesse Luker (8-2) went six innings, allowed nine hits, a walk and three strikeouts.  Badger starter Matt Hasley (2-4) went seven innings gave up seven hits, walked none and struck out three.

Downey had three hits for the Rams while Baria, Orso and Solomon each collected a pair of safeties.  Orso and Downey each had two RBI.  For the Badgers, Connors and Nelson each had three hits and first baseman Brad Holstein had two hits.

Spring Hill College (16-27, 9-18 GCAC) and the University of Mobile play again in a doubleheader at Stan Galle Field beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday.