March 27, 2007

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University softball team scored first Tuesday and led the Jacksonville State Gamecocks for three innings before the Bulldogs' in-state rival powered three late home runs en route to a 7-1 Ohio Valley Conference victory.

"Their top three hitters really hurt us and (Daniela) Pappano was on fire," said Samford head coach Beanie Ketcham. "She's not the returning (OVC) player of the year for nothing and she really played like it tonight. I thought that our pitchers didn't really do a good job of pitching around their big hitters and it hurt us."

Samford (16-13, 3-4 OVC) dropped its second straight home game and fell to 5-4 when playing at Bulldog Field this season.

Sophomore Jessica Owens singled and scored in the top of the first inning as Samford took advantage of a pair of Jacksonville State (15-11, 4-3 OVC) errors. Owens was one of four Bulldogs to register hits in the game as junior Tracey Deaux and seniors Liz Pearse and Shelley Stanley also reached base safely.

The Gamecocks finished with seven runs on 10 hits and powered three home runs in the victory.

Senior Daniela Pappano tied Jacksonville State's single-game record with a pair of deep round-trippers. She went 3-for-3 with three runs batted in and also compiled two runs scored. Pappano improved her season total in home runs to seven.

Jacksonville State's Karla Pittman (9-6) picked up the win in the circle and tallied a game-high eight strikeouts. She didn't allow any earned runs and only walked one batter. Samford's Stephanie Royall (9-8) was saddled with the loss.

"I thought that both Steph (Royall) and Susanna (Meyer) were pitching well against them during their first time through the order," Ketcham said. "The seemed to have good control and they were hitting their spots. Once we started facing their batters for the second and third times, they were able to get a better bead on the ball."

After Samford jumped out to its early 1-0 lead in the first frame, the Gamecocks evened the score at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning.

Jacksonville State then rallied for a pair of runs in the fifth inning and tacked on a four-spot in the top of the seventh. The Bulldogs committed two errors in the game and allowed two unearned runs.

The Samford University softball team will continue play in its 2007 OVC schedule Friday as the Bulldogs begin a three-game series against the Austin Peay Lady Govs. The teams will open the weekend at 4 p.m., Friday with a doubleheader and will close out the series Saturday at noon.

All three games this weekend will be played at Austin Peay's Lady Govs' Field in Clarksville, Tenn.