MOBILE, Ala. – Tennessee Southern opened Southern States Athletic Conference play Friday afternoon at Jacobs Field, dropping both ends of the doubleheader to Mobile despite multiple offensive pushes in each contest.
In game one, the Firehawks fell 7–5 after battling back from an early deficit.
Mobile struck for four runs in the bottom of the first and added another in the second to build a 5–1 lead. Tennessee Southern answered in the top of the second when Reagan Tomlin singled and Evan Nelson followed with a bunt single. Zach Chaney reached on a fielder's choice that brought home Tomlin for the Firehawks' first run.
Trailing 7–1 in the fifth, Tennessee Southern chipped away. Zac Wilson walked and advanced before Devin Thrain reached on an error that allowed Wilson to score. Tomlin moved Thrain into scoring position, and Nelson delivered an RBI single up the middle to cut the margin to 7–3.
The Firehawks continued to pressure in the sixth. Masato Mizumori walked, stole third, and scored on a groundout by Wilson to make it 7–4. In the seventh, Thrain was hit by a pitch and stole second before Mizumori lined an RBI single to right, trimming the deficit to 7–5.
Nelson led Tennessee Southern in the opener, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Tomlin added two hits and scored a run, while Mizumori collected a hit, an RBI, and a stolen base. Thrain scored twice and swiped a bag, and Chaney drove in a run.
In game two, Tennessee Southern dropped a 9–3 decision after a competitive middle stretch.
Mobile plated three runs in the second inning, but the Firehawks responded in the fifth. Mizumori doubled down the left-field line and moved to third on a groundout before Nelson singled him home to make it 3–1. Wilson followed with a single to put two aboard.
The Firehawks broke through again in the sixth. Anthony Pastrana was hit by a pitch, and Hudson Schmitz delivered a run-scoring double to center. Mizumori later scored, and Baron Cribbs added an RBI single to tie the contest at 3–3.
Tennessee Southern threatened again in the seventh when Nelson and Wilson drew walks and Thrain singled to load the bases, but the rally was halted. Mobile used a five-run eighth inning to pull away.
Wilson paced the Firehawks with two hits, including a double. Nelson added two hits and an RBI, Pastrana collected two hits and scored a run, and Schmitz doubled and drove in a run. Mizumori finished with a double and a run scored, while Cribbs added an RBI.
The weekend set concludes tomorrow with a nine-inning finale against Mobile.
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