Feb. 28, 2003

Box Score

Chattanooga, Tenn. - The Samford softball team split in action on Friday at the 2003 Frost Classic in Chattanooga, Tenn., hosted by Tennessee-Chattanooga. The Bulldogs defeated Western Kentucky 6-5 in game one before falling to Akron 10-2 in six innings in the second game of the day.

Samford is now 2-2 on the season. The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday facing Tennessee Tech at 10 a.m., Tennessee State at 12:15 and host Chattanooga at 4:45 p.m. (all times EST).

Samford got things started in the top of the third with a double by sophomore Kelly Smith. Junior transfer Bridgett Smith then stepped up to the plate and collected her first RBI for the Bulldogs with a single to right center field to score Kelly Smith.

However, Western Kentucky quickly turned things around in the bottom of the inning when Kristalyn Smith hit a two-out double to deep center field to rally her team. Shelly Floyd followed with a single to centerfield that sent Kristalyn Smith for home. Bulldog centerfielder Trisha Holman's throw to home was in time to catch Kristalyn Smith at the plate, but catcher Angela Bednark dropped the ball during the tag allowing the run. Bednark then stood up to throw out Floyd who was trying to advance to second and the ball hit Floyd's foot and went sailing into left field allowing her to score.

Holman led the fifth inning off with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior pitcher Amber Fuller. Senior Michelle Wright launched her first home run of the season to score herself and Holman and put the Bulldogs up 3-2.

The Hilltoppers did not let Samford stay on top for long though. Floyd launched a three run home run to left field to put Western Kentucky back on top 5-3 in the bottom of the inning.

Bulldog Kelly Smith led the top of the sixth inning off with her second double of the game and advanced to third when Deanna Resmondo reached base on a throwing error. Holman then singled through the right side to score Kelly Smith and advance pinch runner Sarah Godfrey to third base. Godfrey then scored on a throwing error by the catcher trying to catch Holman stealing second and tied the game at 5-5.

Kelly Smith continued her heroics for Samford with a sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the seventh to plate pinch runner Erin Landsburg for the 6-5 win.

Fuller pitched her first complete game for the Bulldogs and picked up her first win of the season putting her record at 1-0. Fuller gave up nine hits, four earned runs, walked four and struck out eight. The pitcher of record for Western Kentucky was Natasha Sevco who is now 0-2 for the season.

Kelly Smith led the Bulldogs from the plate going two-for-three with two runs and the game-winning RBI sacrifice fly. Samford had a total of seven hits with Holman, Wright, Bednark, Hall and Bridgett Smith collecting the other five. The second game of the day matched the Bulldogs against the Akron Zips. Akron got on the board first in the first inning when Tracee McCoy hit a two out triple to send Melissa Hurley home and make the score 1-0.

Samford did not let that run stand for long, however. In the bottom of the first, Godfrey singled through the middle, and Wright hit her second home run of the day to put the Bulldogs on top, 2-1.

In the top of the third, McCoy picked up a second RBI for Akron with a single to plate Kristen Conrad. Kelly Quigley then doubled to left center to send home two more runs and put the Zips on top 4-2.

Conrad doubled with two outs in the top of the fourth to plate Sara Ziles and make the score 5-2. The Zips plated two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to take an eight run lead on the Bulldogs with a score of 10-2.

Freshman pitcher Emilee Lewis hurled her first complete game for the Bulldogs and took the loss to put her at 0-1. She gave up 15 hits, seven earned runs, walked three and had five strikeouts. The winning pitcher for Akron was Megan MacKenzie who is now 1-1 for the season.

Holman led the team from the plate in game two going two-for-three. Godfrey, Wright, Bednark, Landsburg and Resmondo all collected hits also. Wright now has 10 career home runs tying her for third all time on the Samford career list.