April 13, 2005

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University softball team used a three-run home run from sophomore Shelley Stanley and a 10-strikeout performance from Susanna Meyer to salvage a doubleheader split in game two, 4-1, against the Chattanooga Lady Mocs in a non-conference matchup held at Bulldog Field on Wednesday.

Chattanooga (35-16) received a no-hitter from starting pitcher Lacey Swarthout in the opening game to record a 4-0 victory. The no-hit performance was Swarthout's second of the 2005 season and the Lady Mocs' senior improved to 22-8 with the win.

Samford (20-17) also used a brilliant pitching performance from its starting pitcher, Meyer, to earn a victory in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader.

Meyer, the Bulldogs' sophomore hurler from Davie, Fla., scattered three hits and only allowed one run, while striking out 10 batters. With the win, she improved to 13-10 on the season.

"We obviously struggled against Swarthout, their ace, but I also thought that Emilee (Lewis) pitched fairly well in game one," said Samford head coach Beanie Ketcham. "She missed a few spots and that hurt her, but we played solid defense and that really helped us keep it close. I challenged our team to bounce back with a win in the second game and they responded."

Samford's right fielder, Stanley, blasted a deep three-run homer to left-center field in the bottom of the first inning of game two to give the Bulldogs an early 3-0 advantage.

After senior Trisha Holman reached on an infield single and then Erin Hall was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Stanley powered her fifth home run of the 2005 season off of Chattanooga's Ashley Frizzell. The blast, which was hit to the opposite field, gave Samford a quick 3-0 command in the nightcap.

Holman paced the Bulldogs with a 2-for-2 performance in game two, while Hall went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Stanley upped her team-high total for runs batted in to 18.

"We came out and played like a different team in the second game," said Ketcham. "I don't know if we were flat or something in the first game, but we didn't play well at all. I'm proud of the way that we bounced back and I'm glad that Shelley was able to get the key home run in the first inning."

Samford tacked on a run in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase its lead to 4-0.

With one out, freshman Meghan Wagner earned a rally-starting walk and later scored on a double to right field from Hall. On the play, Hall hit a slicing line drive to Chattanooga's Ashlan Clarkson in right field that bounced directly in front of the freshman.

As she went to corral the base hit, Clarkson slipped on the rain-soaked grass in the outfield and allowed Hall to take second base. Wagner scored from second and Hall earned her eighth RBI of the season.

In game one of Wednesday's doubleheader, Chattanooga scored four runs on nine hits and earned a 4-0 victory.

The Lady Mocs' Melissa Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a home run, while first baseman Leslie Barron turned in a 2-for-3 performance with a run scored. Sophomore Marissa Monroe also hit a home run in the first game on Wednesday as she drilled a two-run shot in the top of the sixth inning.

The Samford University softball team will resume play in its 2005 Ohio Valley Conference season on Saturday as the Bulldogs continue their nine-game conference road trip with a doubleheader against the Southeast Missouri Redhawks beginning at 1 p.m., in Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Game 1: Chattanooga (35-15) def. Samford (19-17), 4-0

UTC 101 002 0 - 4 9 1
SAM 000 000 0 - 0 0 0

WP: UTC, Lacey Swarthout (22-8); LP: SAM, Emilee Lewis (2-5).

Game 2: Samford (20-17) def. Chattanooga (35-16), 4-1

UTC 000 001 0 - 1 3 2
SAM 300 100 x - 4 4 0

WP: SAM, Susanna Meyer (13-10); LP: Ashley Frizzell (9-6).