ORANGE BEACH, Ala. -- It took 11 innings, but the no. 3-ranked University of Mobile Rams completed a come-from-behind 7-6 victory over no. 1-ranked Thomas University to force a second and deciding championship game Tuesday night in NAIA Region XIII tournament championship held at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Alabama.
Holly Knowles scored on a sacrifice fly from Angelica Yrigoyen in the top of the 11th inning to put the Rams ahead 7-6 and winning pitcher Linden Jones completed her 11th consecutive inning of work in the bottom of the 11th to earn the win.
Jones tossed all 11 innings throwing 150 pitches and scattering 10 bases hits, six runs (five earned) while striking out 10 batters including the final batter of the game with runners at first and second base.
In the top of the ninth, thanks in part to another error by the Thomas defense, Mobile loaded the bases with two outs. This time, a wild pitch scored two runs and the Rams claimed their first lead of the game at 6-4.
However, Thomas would answer right back in their bottom half of the inning by hitting a one-out, two-run homer to right centerfield to tie the game at 6-6.
Down to their last at-bat in the top of the seventh inning and trailing by two runs, Mobile got runners to second and third base with two outs. Pare, who singled and scored the second run of the game in her last at-bat, slapped a ball to Thomas third baseman Gillian Longhead. Rushing to field the ball, Longhead’s throw was wide of first base and rolled down the right field line scoring both UM base runners and tying the game at 4-4.
Yuruby Alicart smacked a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning for Thomas to give them a 2-0 lead early on.
However, Mobile answered the call with a run of their own in the top of the third inning cutting the lead in half. After loading the bases with two outs, Karine Gagne scored on a wild pitch by Thomas pitcher Kathy Andrijiezen making the score 2-1. However, Angelica Yrigoyen, who homered twice against Spring Hill earlier in the day, stuck out to end the inning leaving runners at second and third base.
In the bottom of the third, Thomas responded with two more runs to pull further ahead at 4-1.
Mobile pushed one more run across in the top of the fifth inning when Evelyne Pare dropped down a bunt in front of home plate and beat the throw to first base. The throw sailed into right field and Holly Knowles, who had singled earlier in the inning, came around to score from second base cutting the lead to 4-2.
The Rams will now immediately face Thomas again in a winner-take-all championship game.
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