Mobile, Ala. – The Midway University baseball team made history on Friday afternoon when they took the field for the first-time ever in Mobile, Alabama as they battled Mobile (Ala.) to open the season.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, they didn't get the season started off as they had hoped as the home team walked away with a pair of wins in the doubleheader. The Rams got a walk-off single in the first game for a 2-1 win, then in the second, they no hit the Eagles and scored a 12-0 victory.
The two teams will return to the diamond on Saturday for another doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. ET.
Game 1: Mobile 2, Midway 1
The opener turned out to be a pitchers' duel as both offenses combined for just three runs and seven hits. The visitors got off to a quick start as they scored a run in the top half of the first.
Hector Quinones (Barceloneta, PR) got things started by reaching on a two-out walk, then, Danny Maguire (Dana Point, Calif.) ripped a triple over the outstretched glove of the right fielder to score Quinones from first giving Midway the early 1-0 lead.
After a couple of scoreless innings, it looked like the Eagles were going to take a 2-0 lead in the third, but the Rams' center fielder had other plans. With two outs and a runner 90 feet away on third, Quinones sent one into center that looked like it was going to fall, but the center fielder made a diving catch to end the inning.
The score would remain 1-0 in favor of the Eagles until the bottom of the fifth when the Rams scored an unearned run off starter, Chase Heslep (Bellingham, Wash.). Heslep would be stuck with the no decision allowing one run (unearned) on three hits, while fanning six.
Senior right-hander, Derek Jones (Mt. Washington, Ky.) replaced Heslep to start the sixth. Jones tossed a scoreless sixth, but found himself in trouble with the bases loaded and one out. He got a strikeout for the second out, then was pulled for Jake McCoy (Mesa, Ariz.) out of the bullpen.
Rams' centerfielder, Corey Wheaton, got down two strikes, but on the fifth pitch of the at bat, Wheaton hit a blooper in shallow left-center field to score the game winning run from third giving the Rams (2-0) the 2-1 win.
Jones was stuck with the loss for Midway (0-2) after being responsible for the game-winning run. Rams' starting pitcher, Lukas Young, finished with the win. Young tossed a complete game allowing one run on three hits. He also finished with nine strikeouts.
Game 2: Mobile 12, Midway 0
In the nightcap, the Rams' bats came alive scoring 12 runs on 10 hits, while Mobile starter, Garrett Waters, tossed a no hitter. The Rams scored four runs in the third, one in the fourth and seven in the fifth.
The Eagles had runners on in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but failed to advance the runner to second as Waters was dealing on the bump. Waters struck out six over the seven innings, while failing to allow a hit.
Junior left-hander, DJ Lewis (San Diego, Calif.) was tabbed with the loss for Midway. Lewis tossed four innings allowing five runs on six hits.
Neal Kirkpatrick (Central City, Ky.) relieved Lewis to start the fifth and got two outs, but allowed seven runs on three hits. Conner Lindsay (Nicholasville, Ky.) pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed just one hit while fanning a pair.
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