March 6, 2004

Box Score

DOTHAN, Ala. - The Samford baseball team gave up five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the team fell, 10-9, to the Nicholls State Colonels on the second day of the Wiregrass Classic at Northcutt Field Saturday afternoon.

With Samford (0-9) leading, 9-5, Nicholls State's (7-5) Tony Ruiz singled through the right side to score Josh Thomas for the Colonels' first run of the inning. David Tano later singled to bring in Thomas Bourne to make the score 9-7. Jake Ritchie then singled to left center to score Anthony Hatch to cut the lead to one at 9-8. The game was tied on a single by Bubba Bell that brought Tano in to score. Ritchie scored the winning run on a Samford error.

Samford jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with three runs in the top of the first inning. Michael Collins scored the first run on a wild pitch. Eric Hollis then singled to score Matt Alling, and then Trey Moody singled to drive in Garrett Rice to give the Bulldogs a three-run lead.

Nicholls State came back to tie the game with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Josh Clement singled to drive in Ritchie for the Colonels' first run. Michael Roberts later hit a sacrifice fly to right field, and Clement and Josh Thomas both scored on the play to tie the game.

Samford regained the lead in the top of the fourth when Rice doubled down the left field line to score Collins to give Samford a 4-3 lead.

The Colonels took a 5-4 lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Bourne led the inning off with a home run to tie the game. NSU took the lead when Bell singled to score Hatch.

Samford retook the lead with two runs in the top of the sixth. Alling singled to drive in Justin Worthington and Joe Denson to make the score 6-5. The Bulldogs increased their lead to 7-5 in the top of the seventh when Moody scored on an NSU error.

The Bulldogs added two more runs, one in the top of the eighth and another in the ninth to make the score 9-5. Hollis singled to bring in Alling for the first run in the eighth, and Moody scored on an error for the Bulldog's final run.

Samford was led at the plate by Hollis, going 2-for-5 with two RBI. Moody was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Joseph Edens pitched the final 4.2 innings in relief, giving up five runs on eight hits to take the loss for the Bulldogs.

For Nicholls State, Hatch and Bell each went 3-for-5. Dustin Roddy pitched the final inning, surrendering one run on no hits to pick up the win.

Samford will wrap up the Wiregrass Classic against the host team Troy State on Sunday. The first pitch for the game is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.