ORANGE BEACH, Ala. -- Thomas University showed exactly why they are the number one team in the nation as they hit four home runs en route to a 10-0 victory over the no. 3-ranked University of Mobile Rams (44-9) Tuesday morning in Region XIII softball tournament action at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Thomas started the game out on fire as they scored three runs in the first inning off of UM starting pitcher Ann Marie Odum.  With two runners on and only one out, cleanup hitter Jackie Bates singled down the left field line scoring Stacey Ward on the play and giving the no. 1-ranked Lady Nighthawks an early 1-0 lead.

Later, with runners on second and third base and two outs, Gillian Longhead singled to right centerfield plating two more runs and extending their lead to 3-0.

Mobile threatened by getting runners to first and second base with only one out in the  bottom of the third inning and again runners to first and third with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning but were unable to push a run across the board.

In the top of the fifth inning, Thomas would put the game out of reach when Bates, who had an RBI single in the first inning, hit a deep two-run home run to left field giving Thomas a 5-0 advantage.

Two batters later, Longhead, hit a solo home run to left centerfield giving her three RBIs on the day and increasing the lead to 6-0.

Thomas would go on to hit two more home runs and add four more runs in the top of the seventh inning to round out their scoring at 10 runs.

Mobile will play again at 1 p.m. against Spring Hill College, who eliminated Lee University in the other morning game, 2-1.  The winner of the Spring Hill-Mobile match-up will face Thomas at 5 p.m. in the championship round.  Mobile or Spring Hill will have to defeat Thomas twice in order to win the Region XIII Tournament.

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