Feb. 24, 2008

Box Score - Samford vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Box Score - Samford vs. New Mexico State

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The Samford University softball team played to a 1-1 record on the final day of competition in the 2008 Troy Cox Invitational hosted by New Mexico State University on Sunday. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 7-6, but lost to New Mexico State 7-4.

Samford's Aaren Fisher and Jessica Owens were named to the all-tournament team. Fisher, the Bulldogs' true freshman from Henderson, Nev., turned in a stellar .615 batting average over the weekend, while Owens earned all-tournament honors for the second straight week.

Samford (6-8) completed the three-day, six-team competition with a 3-2 record. Two of the Bulldogs' victories occurred in dramatic fashion with game-winning rallies in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Late Saturday night, Samford's Katie England drove in Amanda Barrs for the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Utah Valley State 7-6.

In the Bulldogs' first game Sunday, Samford rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (5-6) 7-6. Heading into the final half inning, the Bulldogs trailed 6-4 after the Islanders scored four runs in the top of the seventh frame.

Junior Kylie Harmon began Samford's rally with an infield single to second base. Next up, Fisher powered a deep home run to tie the game at 6-6. Against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, she went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored.

The Bulldogs' Barrs then came up to bat with no outs in the inning. On Saturday, she scored the game-winning run against Utah Valley State, and against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sunday she did the same thing by blasting a deep walk-off home run to win the game 7-6.

Barrs turned in her second-straight 3-for-4 outing of the tournament and added a pair of RBIs and two runs scored. Owens and Harmon were also 2-for-4 in the victory, while sophomore catcher Whitney Terry powered a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Samford's junior pitcher Stephanie Royall (2-2) picked up the victory in the circle. She pitched 5.1 innings and only allowed two earned runs.

In the Bulldogs' second game Sunday, the hometown-favorite New Mexico State Aggies exploded for four runs in the bottom of the first inning and added two more in the second.

Samford scored a run in the top of the third inning to make the score 6-1, and then used a three-run homer from Katie England in the top of the sixth frame to trim New Mexico State's lead to 6-4. England, the Bulldogs' sophomore from Birmingham, went 1-for-2 in the game with three RBIs and a run scored.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Aggies tacked on another run and Samford's come-from-behind rally fell short 7-4.

Fisher turned in another strong performance at the plate against New Mexico State (7-8) and was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Senior Jeslyn Metcalf and Owens also tallied base hits in the loss.

The Samford University softball team will next be in action Friday at 3:30 p.m., as the Bulldogs begin play in the 2008 Magic City Classic against the Birmingham-Southern Panthers. The three-day tournament will be held at Spain Park High School in Birmingham.