Dishman leads AUM softball to sweep of Mobile
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (aumathletics.com)—- Junior Sydney Dishman drove in the winning run in both games Sunday afternoon as the top-ranked Auburn Montgomery softball team defeated No. 7 Mobile 1-0 and 4-3 to open Southern States Athletic Conference play.
NOTES
• The Warhawks now stand at 24-1 (2-0) on the season.
• Mobile fell to 14-7 (0-2) overall.
• AUM improved to 17-7 all-time against Mobile.
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
• Dishman finished the first game 1-for-3 with the sole RBI for the team, and finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored on her walk-off solo home run in the second game.
• Sophomore Amy Persinger picked up two hits, an RBI and a walk on the day. She currently leads the team with a .426 batting average.
• Senior Paige Nielsen added an RBI in the second game finishing 1-for-3 on the afternoon.
• Sophomore Hayden Henderson scored two runs in the second game on a hit and a walk.
• Senior Taylor Powell improved to 14-0 on the year, as she hurled a complete-game shutout in game one. She struck out six in the game to push her over 100 strikeouts on the year. Powell also came in late relief for game two in the top of the sixth with two outs to take her second win of the day.
• Junior Rachel Ragland tossed 5 2/3 innings on three strikeouts and only one earned run in her outing.
• Tyler Winkler led the way for Mobile finishing 4-for-7 on the day.
GAME 1 HOW IT HAPPENED
• Neither team was able to score in the first inning, but both teams had runners on base in the second. Mobile led the top of the second with a hit, and a two-out single put runners at the corners. However, Powell struck out the next batter to end the early chance.
• AUM saw its first base runner of the game as Persinger reached on an error, but she was unable to score.
• AUM continued in the bottom of the third with a lead-off double from Brinkman. The Warhawks were unable to plate a run stranding two runners to remain tied 0-0.
• AUM got on the board first in the bottom of the fifth after a Dishman single to shallow left field scored Schmidt, who reached on a single with two outs.
• Mobile picked up a two-out double in the top of the seventh, but Powell settled in to end the game on a ground-out, which gave AUM a 1-0 win in game one.
GAME 2 HOW IT HAPPENED
• Mobile scored first in the second game in the top of the first inning on a Coleman single to shallow right field. The bases became loaded with two outs after a hit-by-pitch, but Ragland struck out the next batter to minimize the deficit to one.
• AUM responded in the bottom of the first with a run as well on an infield error that allowed Henderson to tie the score at 1-1.
• The tie was short-lived as Mobile added an additional run in the top of the second on a sacrifice fly from Barnette that plated Wood to give Mobile the 2-1 lead, however Ragland again stranded runners with two outs with another strikeout to end the inning.
• Neither team plated a run, until AUM took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. A Persinger walk with bases loaded and two outs tied the game at 2-2. Nielsen followed with a single to shallow right that plated Jenkins for the 3-2 advantage heading to the sixth.
• Mobile scored again in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch. Powell entered the game with two outs and runners on first and second, but she would pick up a ground ball to leave the game tied 3-3 after six.
• AUM was unable to score in the sixth, and with a scoreless inning from Mobile in the seventh, AUM faced extra-innings in the bottom half of the frame. With one out and no runners on base, Dishman launched her fourth home run of the year over deep left field to hand AUM its first walk-off victory of the season 4-3, and also give the Warhawks the sweep over Mobile.
QUOTING THE COACH
• “We battled and showed a lot of grit in the pair of games today,” Head coach Eric Newell stated. “Opening conference with a team like Mobile, the number seven team in the country, allowed our team to face adversity against a quality opponent. We are thankful to get these two wins, and are excited moving forward.”
UP NEXT
• The Warhawks will return to the field on Tuesday, March 22 when they travel to face No. 9 William Carey University for a doubleheader in another Southern States Athletic Conference competition with the first game at 2 p.m.
