May 13, 2004
RICHMOND, Ky. -
Shelley Stanley singled home Erin Landsburg with the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Samford a 9-8 victory over Jacksonville State in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Softball Tournament.
Samford (28-31) built a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Already up 2-0, Erin Hall lined a two-RBI double off the left centerfield fence to score Stanley and Abi Casillo.
Jacksonville State (39-20) tied the game with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. The Gamecocks scored on a passed ball and a ground before Rachel Countryman looped a two-RBI double down the right field line to score Becky Carpenetti and Katie Czaja to tie the game.
The Bulldogs answered with a four-spot in the bottom of the inning. Trisha Holman and Erin Landsburg walked and Stanley singled to load the bases with one out. Bridgett Smith hit a come-backer to JSU pitcher Breanne Olman, Olman's throw to the plate was wild allowing Holman to score. Smith was caught between first and second while Landsburg came around to score. When all was said and done, Samford had runners at second and third and two-runs in. Casillo followed with a two-RBI triple over the head of centerfielder Samantha Gutierrez to make the score 8-4.
Countryman, who went 4-for-4 with four RBI on the day, hit a two-run home run to left in the sixth to bring the Gamecocks to within two a 8-6. JSU tied the game in the seventh on a wild pitch and a RBI-double by Carpenetti.
The game remained tied until the eighth when Oleman walked Landsburg and Kelly Smith to lead off the inning. Stanley made no mistake with a 2-0 pitch singling to center field to end the game.
Landsburg picked up the victory to move to 12-14 on the season. She threw 4.2 innings giving up four runs on five hits. She walked four and fanned five. Susanna Meyer pitched 3.1 innings in relief before Landsburg re-entered the game in the seventh. Oleman took the loss for JSU to fall 13-7 on the year.
The Bulldogs scored nine runs for the first time this season. Stanley went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and Casillo went 2-for-4 with two RBI. JSU's 12 hits matched the most hits allowed by Samford pitching this season.
Samford advances to face top-seeded Eastern Kentucky in a game scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET while JSU will play in an elimination game Friday morning at 11:15 a.m. ET.
