March 4, 2001

Box Score

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Samford Softball team finished in second place at the Middle Tennessee State Tournament over the weekend. The Bulldogs posted a 3-2 mark with both losses coming at the hands of tournament champion Tennessee Tech.

Brianne Mertens (4-8) got the tournament off to a good start on Friday as she one-hit Middle Tennessee State in a 2-0 Bulldog victory. The Bulldogs pushed across two unearned runs of MTSU starter Jennifer Martinez in the top of the fourth inning. Abi Casillo had an RBI-double and then scored on a wild pitch. The two runs were all Mertens needed as she shut down the Blue Raiders allowing only a single by Kip Phillips in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Samford (6-16) dropped game two 1-0 to Tennessee Tech but bounced back with 6-3 victory over Belmont on Saturday. Erin Lansburg (2-5) picked up her second win of the year pitching three innings and giving up two runs on five hits. Jennifer Morris pitched four innings for the first save of her career. Janet Middleton went 1-3 in the game with a pair of RBI, Michelle Dickey also had a double and two RBI, and Jennifer Graham went 2-2 with a run batted in.

Samford secured it place in the championship game with a 1-0 win over MTSU in its second game on Saturday. Mertens again shut out the Blue Raiders this time on three hits. She walked on and struck out four. The game's only run was scored by Julie King who raced around from second base on a MTSU error.

In the championship game, Samford built a 2-0 lead after three innings highlighted by a solo home run off Middleton's bat to lead off the second inning. Casillo then doubled home Michelle Ashley with a run in the third inning. But the Bulldogs could not hold off Tennessee Tech. The Golden Eagles scored seven runs in the final three innings to take the title 7-2.

Casillo and King led the Bulldogs offensively was both players batted .286 in the five games. Middleton had three RBI over the weekend. Mertens went 2-1 from the circle pitching two shutouts in 18.1 innings of work.

Samford will host the first annual Samford Invitational at Pelham State Park from March 9-11. Alabama A&M, Auburn, UAB, Austin Peay, and Ball State will all be in town. Samford begins the tournament on Friday at 5 p.m. against Alabama A&M.