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Samford University Athletics

OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF SAMFORD UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

The History of Samford Baseball dates back to the early 1900's but there has never been a more successful period for the program then the last 18 years. In this period of time the coaching staff, including under head coach Tony David, with strong support from their administration, have completely changed the face of the program and the year-to-year level of expectation. A program that had won 30 games only one time (31) is averaging nearly 36 wins a season over the last decade plus.

2011-2024 Baseball Program

Since taking the reigns of the program as Head Coach, Tony David has guided the program to 3 successful years in a row, Conference Championship, and an NCAA Tournament appearance.  Since 2011 the program has been taken to new heights. In the years prior to 2005, the program averaged around 20 wins a season, but the team has averaged just over 36 wins a season in that time. The team has had a number of highlights and achievements in that period:
  • 39 Players selected in the Major League Baseball Draft
  • State of the Art Video & Scoreboard Addition (2022)
  • 4 NCAA Tournament Appearances
  • Regular Season & Post Season Champs 2023
  • Defeated #13 USM in NCAA Tourney 2023
  • Defeated #3 Kentucky 2024
  • 8 Players selected in the top 10 Rounds of the MLB Draft
  • Led the SoCon in ERA three seasons in a row
  • Top 10 in the Nation in Home Runs from 2011-2017
  • Record for most HRs in program history 2023, 2024 
  • Lead Nation in HRs in 2015 (2nd in 2012, 3rd in 2016)
  • Construction of Indoor Hitting Facility, Locker Room & Video Room
  • 2023 NCAA Tournament at Auburn (Defeated #13 USM)
  • 2021 NCAA Tournament at Starkville
  • 2019 SoCon regular season title
  • 2018 NCAA Tournament at Tallahassee (Defeated #7 FSU)
  • 2012 NCAA Tournament at Tallahassee (Defeated SEC Champ Miss State twice)
  • Nation Leader in Home Runs (Brandon Miller '12)
The consistent grown in quality of student athletes, facilities, and wins has remained. The changes didn't stop with facilities and the coaching staff, the "new era" also involved navigating the new world of the Transfer Portal as a coaching staff as the reputation for player development grew even more this past season.

The 2024 Season ended as so many have the last 14 years with Samford participating the the SoCon Tournament Championship game. Unfortunately this time the Dogs came up just short in a 10-9 defeat. In another successful season Samford won 36 games and had the season highlight of defeating #3 Kentucky during the regular season and finishing one game away from another regular season title as well. The team would also finish with the second most home runs in school history on the season. In the tournament Samford used a dramatic 9 run 7th inning to defeat Mercer 9-7 followed by a decisive 10-1 win over Wofford to advance to the finals. Michael Ross finished the year with the best record in the nation at 13-0 and would receive First Team All American honors.
The 2023 Season will go down as one of the best seasons in Samford Baseball history and definitely its best achievement – having to win a tripleheader at the Conference tournament to win the title and advance to another NCAA Tournament at Auburn. In the three game day, we defeated UNC Greensboro 7-2 before moving on to beating Wofford twice for the championship. In the opening round defeated #13 USM in an extra innings thriller 4-2 before losing in the finals of the winners bracket 5-4 in a difficult loss. The Dogs won 37 games and won the Regular Season and Post Season tournament for the first time in school history. Following the season we would have 3 pitchers move on to the MLB - Jacob Cravey in the 6th round, Carson Hobbs in the 11th, and Ben Petschke as a Free Agent.
 

The 2022 Season began the David era and an almost complete restart to the roster after heavy departures with a large senior class, the draft, and portal. Returning only a few position player starters and virtually no pitchers with valuable pitching experience. The roster featured only 2 seniors and was made up mostly of freshman and sophomores. The Bulldogs would go on to finish 2nd in the Southern Conference regular season against a league that featured a number of experienced teams, defeat #10 Florida State and defending national champion Mississippi State as well. As is tradition the Dogs had another outstanding run in the Conference tournament advancing to the Finals of the winners bracket undefeated after 22-3 win over Western Carolina and 13-10 over Mercer. The team is set to return the entire pitching staff that finished 2nd and the majority of the team that finished as the best defensive team in the league.
 
The 2021 Season saw Samford reach its third NCAA Regional. Despite playing probably the toughest schedule in program history, the team won 35 games, marking the 13th time in the last 15 full seasons the Bulldogs have won at least 30 games. The Bulldogs finished second overall in the Southern Conference regular season standings, and entered the SoCon Tournament as one of the tournament favorites. After a walk-off home run to win in the first round over Mercer and a run-rule victory over Western Carolina in the


The 2020 Season got off to an incredible start, with the Bulldogs posting a 13-2 overall record, including an 8-0 mark at home. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic ended what was shaping up to be a special season for Samford baseball.

The 2019 Season saw a program that had accomplished so much make even more history, earning the program's first Southern Conference regular season title. The team tied a school record with 41 wins. Zach Hester was named the SoCon Pitcher of the Year by the media, while Sonny DiChiara earned league Freshman of the Year honors. Hester, DiChiara, Jordan Fucci and Brooks Carlson were all named first team All-SoCon, while Stephen Jones and Branden Fryman were named to the second team. The tem was particularly tough to beat at home, posting a 25-7 record in the friendly confines of Joe Lee Griffin Field.  

The 2018 Season was one of the best in school history. The young Bulldog team reached the NCAA Tournament again with a Southern Conference Championship. At the Regional they defeated national seed #7 Florida State 7-6 on national television. After losing a close game to Oklahoma, the dogs season ended at 37-26 with a tight 9-8 loss over Mississippi State. The season included one of the longest winning streaks in the nation at 13 games, defeated #22 Auburn, Alabama, and #21 Central Florida along the way. The Dogs would finish 2nd in the regular season before making the run to the championship in the tournament. They would place 3 more players on the All SoCon team as the youth movement continued and would have 3 more players selected in the draft. Freshman pitcher Sam Strickland was one of the top pitchers in the nation last year and would take home Freshman of the Year honors. Like the 2017 season, this season end with a lot of returners for next year and a lot of hope for optimism.
 
The 2017 season was supposed to be a rebuilding year with an extremely difficult schedule and only one returning position player starter. The team finished with 33 wins, lead the SoCon in pitching again, one the top defensive teams in the league, series victories over Indiana and Kansas, wins over Alabama and Auburn, and getting 3 more players drafted in the MLB draft. Part of the excitement for the future with the success of this season is that it was accomplished with youth – 4 freshman playing almost every game and representing a record for the most on the All Freshman SoCon team at the end of the season. Dominant right handed pitcher Jared Brasher was drafted in the 8th Round giving the program another top 10 round draft pick. Later in the draft outfielder Kevin Williams went in the 13th round to the Angels and four year starter TJ Dixon went in the 25th round to the Twins. With most of the team returning for 2018 there is a lot of excitement.
 
The 2016 season ended with another deep run into the SoCon Touranment, winning three games for the 5th time in 6 seasons to finish off the year strong. The MLB draft came calling again in selecting Heath Quinn in the 3rd round by the Giants, followed by Alex Lee and Hunter Swilling later in the draft. Also had two signees taken with a 3rd pick who will be signing as well.  The team finished the season 3rd in the nation in home runs at the time, lead the SoCon in ERA, and had the highest fielding percentage in the Dunn era. The regular season was highlighted by a walk off win over Alabama on a two run home run, series win over Kansas, sweeping UAB, Jacksonville St. and Alabama St. While a lot of power left the program, the 2017 season will be lead offensively by senior lead off man TJ Dixon and junior Austin Edens who has already hit 35 home runs in his first two years. The team will return every single pitcher but one, while adding a few new members to the staff.
The 2015 season was highlighted by another program first with the team leading the nation in home runs by a wide margin, finishing the season with 85. The team reached the finals of the SoCon Tournament for the 4th time in 5 seasons just missing out on another trip to the NCAA tournament and had another player drafted, Andres Gracia by San Diego Padres, for the fifth season in a row. All was accomplished without a senior in the starting line up as the team will return every starter, the top reserves, and an infusion of young talent.  For the second season in a row, the team had the SoCon's Freshman of the Year in Austin Edens, also named a First Team Freshman All American by Baseball America. The season also featured a third straight win over Auburn and defeating UAB for the 10th time in 11 games. With the return of the entire starting lineup and much of the pitching staff, expectations have never been higher heading into the future.
The 2014 season featured a wealth of young talent signed after the 2012 regional trip. Starting up to 4 freshman at times with 2 of the 4 starting pitchers also freshmen still posted 35 wins, swept Auburn, defeated UAB for a 9th time in a row, and advanced to the Southern Conference Championship game for the third time in four seasons. After the season the team had two more players drafted – Ty Filliben in the 12th round to the Pirates and Tripp Martin in the 22nd round to the Rangers – to take the total up to 15 players drafted in the last four seasons. Also after the season, two freshmen outfielders – TJ Dixon and Heath Quinn – were both named Freshman All Americans.  The program has had 5 drafted in the top 10 rounds in the last 3 years as well. Quinn was named Freshman of the Year in the Southern Conference.
 
After the teams 2013 season ended in the SoCon Tournament, junior outfielder Phillip Ervin was selected in the 1st round – 27th pick overall by the Reds and is the highest pick in both Samford and Southern Conference Baseball history. Also selected in the 10th round by the Twins was pitcher CK Irby.  The 2012 Season was a historic one for the program. Finishing the season with a 41-23 overall record, SoCon Championship, and making the NCAA Tournament in the Tallahassee Regional. After defeating SEC Champion #14 Mississippi St twice in the two meetings, the Bulldogs fell to #3 Florida St. 5-2 in the finals. Along the way the team had victories over #1 Florida, #24 Oklahoma, and Auburn. The team finished in the top 25 in 6 different categories including finishing 2nd in the country in home runs. After the season, the team would have 7 players drafted into the MLB draft – the 8th most in the nation.

The 2011 season was the second best in school history finishing with a 37-23 record, near the top of the league at 18-12 in conference, and had four players drafted in the MLB draft (3 in top 25 rounds). Along the way, swept Auburn, defeated Alabama four the 4th time in a row over the last few seasons, and had two freshmen selected to the Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American team. The pitching staff lead the way with the top ERA in the league and one of the best in the nation. The team fell short of an at large bid to the NCAA tournament despite being on the bubble at the end.

The 2010 season was filled with positives in passing the 30 win mark for the fourth time in five years (31-25), finishing with a 17-12 league record, sweeping Alabama in season series (5 of 8), nineteen games against NCAA tournament teams and going 6-4 against teams reaching regional finals. The most exciting part was having a legitimate shot at an at large bid to the NCAA field right until the end of the season as we finished with an RPI of 68.

From 2005 to 2009, the Bulldogs were laying the foundation for future program growth. During that period the first recruiting class not only was nationally ranked but would produce the first Conference Championship for the Dunn staff and the first All Americans. The school would produce three consecutive winning seasons for the first time since the 1960's, begin the impressive run of drafted players, and transition from the OVC to the Southern Conference.