The University of Mobile softball team was tabbed as the No. 1 overall seed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) softball World Series. The Rams, with a 46-2 overall record — the only team in NAIA play with two or fewer losses this season — will begin the 40-team national tournament by hosting one of 10 first-round tournaments across the country.
The Mobile tournament will be played at the Gulf Shores Complex beginning Monday, May 16, and concluding Wednesday, May 18. The four-team, double elimination tournament will send its winner to the NAIA World Series at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus, Ga., May 26 through June 1, as will the winner of the nine other first-round tournaments.
The Rams, who set a school record this season by winning their first 34 games in a row, will be the No. 1 seed in Gulf Shores. They will be joined by No. 2 seed Coastal Georgia, No. 3 seed Our Lady of Lakes and No. 4 seed Valley City State.
Monday’s opening round of play in Gulf Shores will match No. 2 seed Coastal Georgia against No. 3 seed Our Lady ofd Lakes at 11 a.m., followed by top-seeded Mobile against No. 4 seed Valley City State at 1 p.m. On Tuesday, the first-day winners will meet at 11 a.m., the opening day losing teams will meet at 1 p.m. and an elimination game (loser of the winner’s bracket game against the winner of the loser’s bracket game) is set for 3 p.m. The championship game will be played at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, with a 1 p.m. game if needed to determine the champion.
Mobile won the Southern States Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles this year. Head coach Alison Sellers-Cook was named the league’s Coach of the Year and 12 of her players earned All-SSAC honors, including seven first-team picks. Earning first-team recognition were LF Kristen Black, P Emily Butts, SS Courtney Ellzey, P Brinkley Goff, UTL Caitlin McRee, CF Jaden Morace and 2B Kaylee Pullin. Second-team selections included LF Carleigh Bowden, RF Katie Head, 1B Eila Infante, C Madilyn Sheffield and 3B Ashlyn Stewart.
Butts, Ellzey, Infante, Horace and Pullin earned Gold Gloves for their defensive play and Bowden, Sheffield and Stewart were named to the SSAC’s All-Freshman team.
In the circle, Butts has posted a 21-0 record and 1.04 earned run average, while Goff is 20-0 with an 0.92 ERA.
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