Dec. 14, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Home games against SEC opponents Alabama and Auburn, as well as home contests with in-state rivals Troy and UAB highlight the 2008 Samford baseball schedule, released by head coach Casey Dunn on Friday.

"This year's schedule will be extremely challenging," Dunn said. "With the change in the start date we will now have to play multiple midweek games several times during the course of the season.

"We are excited to be able to have three of our four non-conference weekends at home as we prepare for conference play," Dunn said. "Looking at the midweek games we are fortunate to have so many quality opponents close to our campus. It is exciting to be able to play home and home games with Alabama, Auburn, Troy and UAB again this year and also be able to play South Alabama and Jacksonville State. I hope we can continue to build positive rivalries with our in-state schools."

Samford opens the 2008 season Feb. 22-24 with a three-game series at Kennesaw State. The team's home-opener is scheduled for Feb. 26 against Lipscomb at 3 p.m. The Bulldogs' first home series will be played Feb. 29-Mar. 2, when they play host to St. Louis.

Samford will play its first of 12 games against in-state opponents on Mar. 4, when the Bulldogs travel to Mobile to take on South Alabama. After a home weekend series with Miami of Ohio, Samford will head to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama on Mar. 12.

Next up, Samford will host Rider in a three-game weekend series Mar. 14-16. The Bulldogs will then play two games at Memphis on Mar. 18-19.

Samford opens play in the Ohio Valley Conference for the final time with a three-game home series against Tennessee-Martin on Mar. 21-22.

The Bulldogs will then host Auburn at Regions Park for the third-annual Auburn-Samford Baseball Classic. The Bulldogs will go on the road next for an OVC series at Murray State Mar. 29-30.

Samford will play two midweek games the next week at Mercer (Apr. 1) and at home against Georgia State (Apr. 2). The Bulldogs will then play at in-state OVC rival Jacksonville State in a three-game series Apr. 5-6.

The next week, Samford will play midweek games against in-state rivals Troy (Apr. 8--home) and UAB (Apr. 9--road). Samford will then host Austin Peay in a conference series Apr. 12-13.

Samford will host Mercer on Apr. 15 and play at Troy on Apr. 16. The Bulldogs then travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo., for a conference series at Southeast Missouri Apr. 19-20.

The Bulldogs will play at Auburn (Apr. 22) and play host to UAB (Apr. 23) the next week, before playing host to Eastern Illinois in an OVC series Apr. 26-27.

Samford will play host to Alabama Apr. 29, and will play at Georgia State Apr. 30. The Bulldogs play at Eastern Kentucky in an OVC series May 3-4.

On May 6, Samford will travel to Nashville, Tenn., to take on Lipscomb. The Bulldogs finish the home portion of the schedule with a conference series against Morehead State, May 10-11, and they wrap up the regular season at Tennessee Tech May 16-17.

The 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament is scheduled for May 21-25 in Paducah, Ky.