Feb. 24, 2008

Box Score

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The Samford University softball team improved to 2-1 in this weekend's Troy Cox Invitational on Saturday as the Bulldogs earned a 7-6 win against the Utah Valley State Wolverines at the New Mexico State University Softball Complex.

Samford (5-7) will conclude play in the three-day, six-team competition Sunday with a pair of games. The Bulldogs are scheduled to play Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 10 a.m., prior to facing New Mexico State at 12:30 p.m..

With the loss, Utah Valley State (2-5) dropped to 0-2 in this weekend's competition. The Wolverines rallied for five runs in the final three innings of play, but couldn't overcome Samford's early lead.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bulldogs tallied the game-winning run as sophomore Katie England singled to left center field. With the hit, Samford's Amanda Barrs was able to motor around all the way from first base to score the game-winning run.

Barrs, Samford's talented sophomore first baseman, turned in the best offensive performance of the game Saturday as she went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. She led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single up the middle.

The Bulldogs' Kayla Burris (3-2) came on in relief and picked up the victory in the circle. She pitched 2.1 innings and only allowed one earned run.

In the top of the first inning, Utah Valley State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, but then Samford bounced back with four runs on five hits in the bottom of the third inning. The Bulldogs earned a 4-1 lead as they scored all four of the runs with two outs.

Samford's four-run rally was sparked by a line-drive single up the middle from Jessica Owens. She then advanced to third base as Jeslyn Metcalf singled down the right field line and Utah Valley State's Alli Bramwell threw a wild pitch.

The Bulldogs' next batter Aaren Fisher doubled down the right field line and Owens scored to tie the game 1-1. Barrs then drove in both Metcalf and Fisher as she sent a screaming double to center field.

Senior Emily Deaux ripped Samford's third-straight double of the inning. On the drive that went through the left side of the infield, Deaux drove in Barrs from second base and increased the Bulldogs' advantage to 4-1.

Samford later scored runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, but Utah Valley State's four-run explosion in the fifth frame trimmed the Bulldogs' lead to 6-5.

In the top of the sixth inning, Utah Valley State scored a run to make the score 6-6. With the game tied, Samford was able to rally for its game-winning performance in the seventh inning.

The Bulldogs had eight players record base-hits in the matchup and Fisher turned in a 2-for-4 outing at the plate.

The Samford University softball team will conclude play in the 2008 Troy Cox Invitational with a pair of games Sunday. The Bulldogs are slated to square off against the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders at 10 a.m., before meeting the hometown-favorite New Mexico State Aggies at 12:30 p.m., in the finale.