Feb. 10, 2007

Game 1 - Box Score
Game 2 - Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After defeating Florida A&M, 3-0, to advance to the championship game of the 2007 FSU Early Bird Invitational Saturday, the Samford University softball team dropped an 8-0 decision to the 25th-ranked Florida State Seminoles at JoAnne Graf Field.

Samford (2-2) completed its first weekend of the 2007 campaign with a .500 record. The Bulldogs advanced to the championship game of the FSU Early Bird Invitational and picked up a pair of key victories versus Radford, 7-3, and Florida A&M, 3-0.

Both of Samford's losses this season have come on the road against nationally-ranked Florida State (4-0).

In the Bulldogs' 3-0 victory over Florida A&M (0-3) Saturday, sophomore pitcher Stephanie Royall improved to 2-0 on the season by hurling a complete-game two-hitter. Samford's 5-foot-10 native of Mill Valley, Calif., finished with nine strikeouts and only allowed three Rattler baserunners.

Senior first baseman Jenna Dempski scored a run in the top of the second inning to give Samford an early 1-0 advantage.

Dempski doubled to lead off the frame and later scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore Kylie Harmon. A native of Round Rock, Texas, Dempski was 1-for-2 at the plate against Florida A&M, while Harmon finished with a 1-for-3 performance.

In the top of the seventh inning, Samford tacked on a pair of insurance runs as both Harmon and Jessica Owens picked up RBIs for the Bulldogs. Owens, the team's leadoff batter from Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., went 2-for-4 in the game.

Florida State handed Royall her only loss of the season Saturday night as the Seminoles broke out for eight runs on 12 hits in the championship game.

The `Noles scored two runs in the second inning, four in the fourth frame and then added two more runs in the sixth. Veronica Wootson went 3-for-4 with three runs scored while Monica Montez finished the game with a walk-off, pinch-hit two-run homer.

Florida State's starting pitcher Tiffany McDonald improved to 2-0 on the season with the win.

Samford seniors Shelley Stanley and Dempski both finished with hits against the Seminoles.

Dempski turned in a quality weekend of play at the FSU Early Bird Invitational and currently owns a team-high .455 batting average. So far this season, she is 5-of-11 with two runs scored and an RBI.

The Samford University softball team will next be in action Friday as the Bulldogs begin play in the 2007 Georgia Southern Tournament. Samford will kick off the two-day competition against Georgia Southern at 9:30 a.m., and then play Charleston Southern at 2:30 p.m.