Feb. 23, 2003

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Jacksonville exploded for five runs in the fifth inning to take game one and Samford senior right-hander Ehren Wassermann allowed two earned runs in seven innings to earn the win in game two as the Dolphins and Bulldogs split a doubleheader, 9-6 and 10-8, at Joe Lee Griffin Field Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins (3-6, 2-1 A-Sun) won the Atlantic Sun Conference Series Opener, taking two of three games from the Bulldogs (3-7, 1-2 A-Sun).

Samford snapped a seven game losing streak with the win over Jacksonville in the second game of the doubleheader. Robert Evans and Eric Hollis each went 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Evans added three RBI. Matt Alling had two hits and two RBI for Samford. Rob Hudson led Jacksonville going 4-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored. Wassermann (1-2) earned his first win of the season, recording five strikeouts while allowing the two earned runs on seven hits. Casey Graham got his first save of the season. Josh Deel took the loss for JU. Deel (1-1) gave up four runs in 1/3 of an inning.

The Dolphins took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. After Larry Best-Berfet reached on an error and Wassermann hit Chad Hauseman, Wassermann forced two outs. Clint Hart and Hudson each doubled to plate the runs.

Samford erased its deficit in the bottom of the first. Alling, Mario White and Hollis each singled loading the bases with no outs. Michael Collins walked to make it 3-1. Robert Evans hit a two-RBI single to center field tying the game, 3-3. Sae Evans then reached on a fielder's choice, but an error by JU's second baseman allowed Collins to score giving Samford a 4-3 lead.

The Bulldogs extended their lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Hollis doubled and scored on Kip Snowden's single. With two outs, Collins walked and scored on Robert Evans triple down the right field line. Sae Evans singled in Robert Evans for the final run of the inning. Jacksonville made it 7-4 on Gordie Gronkowski's RBI double in the top of the sixth.

Alling helped Samford extend its lead to 10-4 in the bottom of the seventh. With the bases loaded and two outs, Alling singled to left field scoring Collins and Robert Evans easily. An error by Hauseman in left field allowed Sae Evans to score for the 10-4 advantage.

JU added one run in the top of the eighth as the Dolphins trailed, 10-5. Jacksonville continued to make it interesting in the top of the ninth. With two outs, the Dolphins loaded the bases. Hudson scored on a single by Tom Alford. Chris Kelly's single scored two more runs to make it, 10-8. Graham, who replaced reliever Alan Bryan, entered with the tying and go-ahead runs at the plate. Graham allowed one hit before getting Hauseman to pop up to left field for the final out of the game.

Jacksonville overcame a 3-0 deficit in the first inning to take game one of the doubleheader, 9-6. The Dolphins used four home runs and the five-run fifth inning to defeat Samford. The Bulldogs stranded nine base runners in game one. Brett Nagy replaced starter Darren Truty and earned his first win of the season. Nagy gave up two earned runs on five hits while striking out three. Bobby Bowman replaced Nagy in the bottom of the seventh and earned a save, recording three straight strikeouts after the Bulldogs had scored two runs. Frank Allen Yeilding (1-1) suffered his first loss of the season for the Bulldogs. Yeilding gave up six earned runs in 4 2/3 innings and recoded four strikeouts.

Samford took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Alling led off the game with a double to right field. After Robert Evans reached on an error by the center fielder, Sae Evans singled in Alling. Kip Snowden's infield single plated Robert Evans to make it 2-0. Hollis knocked in Sae Evans for the final run.

JU cut it to 3-1 in the top of the second on Hudson's sacrifice fly scoring Alex Jamieson who doubled to lead off the inning. Snowden helped Samford get the run back in the bottom of the second when he doubled to center field scoring Alling, who doubled to get on base, giving the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead. The Dolphins then went to the long ball to build their lead.

Hauseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the third to make it, 4-3. Jamieson tied the game with a solo home run in the top of the fourth.

JU broke open the game with the five runs in the top of the fifth. Diaz and Hauseman each homered in the inning to stake the Dolphins to a 9-4 advantage. Samford managed to cut it to 9-6 in the bottom of the seventh on Hollis' two-RBI double to left field, but Bowman came in and shut down the Bulldog rally.

Hauseman, Jamieson and Clint Hart each went 3-for-4 for JU in game one. Hausemann also added three RBI and finished the series, 7-for-11 with five RBI and three runs scored. Snowden led Samford in game one going 3-for-4 with one RBI and one RBI. Hollis was 2-for-4 with three RBI while Alling also added two hits and two runs scored.

Samford returns to action Wednesday when it hosts cross-town rival UAB at 3 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field.