ORANGE BEACH, Ala-The 4th-ranked University of Mobile softball team clinched a bid to the 2008 NAIA National Tournament May 16-21 by downing 7th-ranked Shorter College 3-1 in the Region XIII Tournament Final Thursday afternoon.
The Lady Rams got dominant pitching from Ginger Reeser and a timely hit from Jennifer Gomez to pick up the victory.
Reeser (18-2), who picked up all three Mobile wins at the tournament, cruised through 7 innings, allowing only 1 run on 5 hits and striking out 5 Shorter batters.
Mobile started the scoring in the top of the 2nd inning when 3-straight hits from Anadys Suarez, Jennifer Gomez and Kelyn Mendoza resulted in a Mendoza RBI base hit and a 1-0 Mobile lead.
Things stayed that way through 5 innings, as Shorter's Becca Thomas matched Reeser pitch for pitch, but the Lady Rams struck again in the top of the 6th, when Gomez launched a 2-run homer to center field for a 3-0 edge. The homer proved to be the game-winner as Shorter collected a run in the bottom half of the inning on a base hit from Jessica Sanders.
Mobile (36-7) will next play at the NAIA National Tournament in Decatur, AL. Gomez finished 2-for-3 with the 2-run homer and Mendoza finished 1-for-3 with 1 RBI.
