April 3, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University softball team will take a break from its Ohio Valley Conference schedule Wednesday as the Bulldogs host Mississippi State at 6 p.m., in a midweek non-conference matchup to be held at Bulldog Field.

The game will be broadcast live on 91.1 FM and via the internet at www.al.com/wvsu. Live stats will also be provided at www.SamfordSports.com.

Samford (18-14, 5-5 OVC) heads into Wednesday's matchup with a two-game winning streak after earning a doubleheader sweep of Austin Peay on Saturday. The Bulldogs dropped the first game of the weekend series 1-0, but then rallied for key victories of 9-1 (6) and 1-0.

With its two wins Saturday, Samford picked up its second-straight OVC series victory. The Bulldogs have won four of their previous seven games and return home to Birmingham this week where the team owns a 5-4 record this season.

Samford currently has three players batting at least .300 this year in seniors Liz Pearse (.318) and Shelley Stanley (.313), as well as freshman Amanda Barrs (.300).

Pearse, a native of Cary, N.C., led Samford's offensive surge last week as she scored five runs in the Bulldogs' doubleheader sweep of Austin Peay. In game one, Pearse went 3-for-4 from her leadoff spot and scored four runs in the 9-1 victory. She also powered her first home run of the 2007 campaign and finished with two RBIs.

In game two, Pearse led off the contest with a single up the middle and later scored the game-winning run in the top of the first inning. She finished the week with offensive performances of 1-for-3, 3-for-4 and 1-for-2.

Mississippi State (24-15, 7-7 SEC) has earned four-straight victories and is coming off a three-game sweep against South Carolina last weekend. The MSU Bulldogs have won seven of their previous eight games and own a four-game winning streak versus Samford.

Wednesday's game will be the 14th all-time meeting between Samford and Mississippi State.

Mississippi State leads the all-time series with a 12-1 record and has been victorious in the previous four meetings between the teams. Samford's lone win in the series came in 2000 on a 2-0 triumph held in Starkville, Miss.

Earlier this season, Mississippi State defeated Samford 7-0 in the first game of this year's home-and-home series.

Mississippi State enters Wednesday's contest with six players batting over .300 this season in Chelsea Bramlett (.415), Nakita Boyce (.358), Courtney Bures (.351), Megan Bateman (.333), Katie Cooley (.319) and Hayle Guess (.318).

The MSU Bulldogs are also dangerous on the basepaths and have tallied 75 steals on 82 attempts this season. Bramlett, a true freshman from Cordova, Tenn., leads the team in stolen bases with 33-of-35.

Mississippi State will be the second Southeastern Conference team to play at Samford's Bulldog Field this season. On Feb. 28, Samford hosted third-ranked Alabama in its home-opener of the 2007 campaign.

Samford owns an unblemished 12-0 record when leading after the fifth inning this season.

The Bulldogs' successes in the final innings can be attributed to having three solid pitchers in Stephanie Royall (1.99 ERA), Susanna Meyer (4.02 ERA) and Barrs (4.12 ERA), but it is most likely due to the fact that Samford is outscoring its opponents by a total of 49-24 in the sixth and seventh innings.

Despite playing against one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the OVC this season, Samford is currently ranked first in the league in stolen bases (49), and is tied for fifth place in the conference in home runs (18).

The Bulldogs are dominating the OVC in stolen bases, and hold a plus-12 margin over Tennessee-Martin (37), the second-place team in the conference. Samford has already attempted 62 stolen bases this season.

Tennessee Tech leads the OVC in home runs (53), while Jacksonville State sits in second place with 36.

Following its midweek non-conference matchup versus Mississippi State, Samford will resume OVC play this weekend against the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks. The conference foes are scheduled to square off in a series-opening doubleheader Friday at 4 p.m., followed by the series finale at 1 p.m., Saturday.