March 10, 2001

Box Score

PELHAM, Ala. - Brianne Mertens pitched complete game victories over Ball State and Auburn on Saturday as the Samford Bulldogs finished pool play with a 4-1 record at the Samford Invitational being played at Pelham City Park.

With a 3-2 victory over Auburn, the Bulldogs will be the top seed in the tournament round which will be played on Sunday. Samford will play the winner of the Austin Peay/Alabama A&M match up at 2 p.m. Auburn, the number two seed, with face the winner of the Ball State/UAB game.

Samford (10-17) defeated Ball State 2-1 in its first game of the day. Freshman Julie King hit a pair of solo home runs to supply Mertens with all the run support she would need. Mertens pitched seven innings giving up one run on two hits and struck out 10 Cardinal batters.

The Bulldogs dropped a 4-3 game against UAB in the second game. Mindy Shunnarah went 2-3 with a solo home run. Michelle Wright also homered for Samford. The loss set up a battle in the day's final game between Auburn and Samford for the top seed.

Samford struck first with a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning. The Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead on an RBI-single by Shunnarah in the fifth inning. Auburn responded in the sixth with a RBI-double by Mary Petrie who was out at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple. Jodie Van Ooyen hit a solo home run to make the game 3-2. Mertens struck out the side in the seventh inning to secure the victory. Mertens again pitched seven innings giving up two runs ono three hits and fanning 10 more batters.

Auburn (16-8) defeated Ball State and Austin Peay to also finish the round robin with a 4-1 record. Samford was the top seed because of the head-to-head victory. Ball State was the three seed as it and UAB each finished 3-2. Ball State defeated UAB 6-3 on Friday. Austin Peay's only victory of the tournament game in a 4-1 victory over winless Alabama A&M.