March 23, 2001

DeLAND, Fla.--Lenny DiNardo hurled eight strong innings, and Frank Corr and Vinnie Rinaldi combined to drive in all four Stetson runs as the 14th-ranked Hatters defeated Samford 4-2 in Trans America Athletic Conference action Friday at Melching Field at Conrad Park.

Samford falls to 6-16 and 1-3 in league play, while the win improves Stetson to 21-3 overall and 4-0 in TAAC action.

DiNardo (5-1) controlled the Bulldogs almost from the start, allowing just four hits (all singles) and striking out nine with two walks. He allowed only one earned run in his eight innings and at one point early in the game struck out seven of 12 batters.

The Hatters scored three runs in the fourth off Samford starter Ty Dedmon (0-5). Lee Bagley led off the inning with a walk and scored on Corr's double. Rinaldi then hit his sixth home run of the season over the rightfield fence for a 3-0 Stetson lead.

While DiNardo kept the Bulldogs in check, the Hatters added another run in the fifth. With two outs, Bagley singled and scored on Corr's double into the leftfield corner. Stetson led 4-0.

Samford finally reached DiNardo in the eighth. Cory Sumner led off the inning with a single, but was erased on a fielder's choice. Rickey Honeycutt coaxed a walk out of DiNardo and Grant Caldwell grounded out to short for the second out. Clean-up batter Robert Evans singled in a run, cutting Stetson's lead to 4-1. Another run scored when Hatter third baseman Brian Snyder mishandled a grounder for an error and an unearned run, trimming Stetson's lead to 4-2. But with two outs and two on, DiNardo struck out first baseman Major Allred on a 3-2 breaking ball to end the threat.

Andy Wilson pitched a perfect ninth, striking out two in earning his fifth save.

Sumner finished the game 2-for-4 and Robert Evans tallied the only RBI of the game for Samford. Corr finished the night 4-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. He was the only Hatter with more than one hit as Dedmon allowed just seven.

The Hatters and Bulldogs return to action with a 1 p.m.(EST) doubleheader on Saturday.