Feb. 22, 2004

Box Score

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Samford Softball dropped a pair of games on the final day of the 2004 Sonic Challenge in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Bulldogs fell to the Purdue Boilermakers, 5-0, in game one, and dropped their final game 5-1 to the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. Samford moves to 2-8 for the season.

In game one, Purdue jumped ahead of Samford with lead off home runs in the second and third inning. Kristen Schell homered to left field in the second inning, and Anglea Knight hit a shot to over the center field fence in the third. The Boilermakers added an unearned run in the fifth inning when Knight reached first on a fielding error by second baseman Erin Landsburg. DaQueta Johnson singled to send Knight across the plate and bring the score to 3-0.

A two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning by Tricia Lilley finished the scoring for Purdue and sealed the 5-0 win for the Boilermakers.

For Samford, Kelly Smith drew a one-out walk in the second inning but was left stranded when Erin Hall and Emilee Lewis both struck out to end the inning. Landsburg had the first of two hits for the Bulldogs with a single to shortstop in the third inning. Hall was the only Bulldog to reach scoring position with a double to left field in the fifth inning. Lewis sacrificed Hall to third, but Kayla Watkins popped up to the shortstop and Liz Pearse lined out to second base to end the inning and Samford's hope at scoring. Shelley Stanley was the only other Bulldog to reach base on an error in the seventh inning.

Sophomore pitcher Emilee Lewis took the loss for Samford. She pitched the complete game, allowed 10 hits and three home runs, struck out five and walked two. Her record for the season stands at 1-2.

In game two, Western Kentucky put runners on the corners in the second inning with two outs when Jessie Richardson reached first on a fielder's choice, stole second and made it to third on a passed ball. Shelly Floyd was then hit by a pitch. But freshman pitcher Susanna Meyer struck out Dana Rey to end the Hilltopper threat of scoring.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Bailey Rolfs hit a home run to left field to put the Hilltoppers on the board. Two more unearned runs crossed the plate that inning to put Western Kentucky up 3-0.

Samford scored a run in the top of the sixth. Pearse hit a two-out single and advanced to second on a single by Landsburg. Bridgett Smith followed with a single to center field, and Pearse scored from second, sliding under the tag at home plate.

The Hilltoppers plated two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to make the final score of 5-1.

Meyer started the game for the Bulldogs and lasted three and one-third innings. She allowed four hits, three runs and one earned run. Meyer struck out four and walked two. She took the loss, and her record now stands at 1-3. Lewis relieved Meyer in the fourth inning with one out and two runners on base. Lewis allowed one hit before the end of the inning. Lewis pitched one and two-third innings. She allowed one hit, walked one and struck out four. Landsburg pitched the top of the seventh inning. She gave up three consecutive hits and allowed two runs before striking out Richardson and forcing two batters to ground out to end the inning.

The Bulldogs travel to Auburn on Tuesday for a single game against the Tigers at 6 p.m.