April 19, 2003

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - - Lee Brady earned his first career win pitching four innings of shutout baseball in game one and Jacksonville State Matt Ruckdeschel recorded three hits and three RBI in game two as the Bulldogs and Gamecocks split the doubleheader, 2-1 and 6-2, at Rudy Abbott Field Saturday afternoon. Samford (12-27, 7-17 A-Sun) won the series taking two games from the Gamecocks (22-18, 14-10 A-Sun).

Brady (1-1) struck out one and limited JSU to five hits to get his first collegiate win. Ehren Wassermann earned his second save of the series holding the Gamecocks scoreless recording the final two outs of the game. Stephen Artz pitched 2 1/3 innings in relief allowing one earned run on three hits while striking out three. Wassermann led the Bulldogs offensively going 2-for-3 with one RBI. Bobby Hicks and Matt Ruckdeschel each had two hits. Allen Buckley (3-3) took the loss allowing one earned run in 5 1/3 innings.

Samford scored two runs in the top of the second on two Jacksonville State errors taking a 2-0 lead. Michael Collins singled up the middle and scored on Ehren Wassermann's single up the middle giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage with one out. After David Henry reached on an error that moved Wassermann to third, a throwing error by the catcher allowed Wassermann to score.

The Gamecocks came within 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Ruckdeschel doubled and moved to third on Bobby Hicks' single. Danny Civello grounded out to score Ruckdeschel. Wassermann retired pinch-hitter Brett Pettus to end game one.

In game two, Ruckdeschel went 3-for-4 with three RBI in the 6-2 JSU win. C.R. Palmer (5-3) picked up the win allowing two earned runs in six innings and striking out four. Justin Klinger (0-1) suffered his first collegiate loss allowing four runs on four hits in 2 1/3 innings. Wasserman led Samford going 2-for-2 with one RBI. Michael Collins also had two hits.

Jacksonville State scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning to take an early 4-0 lead. After Eric Conley singled and Shundell Russaw walked, Kerri Fair's infield single scored Conley while Russaw scored on a throwing error by Denson at shortstop as the Gamecocks led 2-0. Ruckdeschel's two-run single made for the final two runs of the inning.

Russaw's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth extended the Gamecock lead to 5-0. JSU added one more run in the bottom of the sixth. Fair scored on Ruckdeschel's single to left center for the 6-0 advantage.

The Bulldogs spoiled Palmer's shutout in the top of the seventh. Michael Collins and Wassermann hit back-to-back doubles. Collins scored to make it 6-1. Jeff Dils RBI single plated Collins. Samford threatened with two runners on base, but Bobby Wynns got the final three outs for the Gamecocks.

Fair finished the game with two outs for JSU. JSU out-hit Samford 10-8.

Samford returns to action Tuesday when it host cross-town rival Birmingham-Southern at 6 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field.