April 6, 2008

Box Score

CHARLESTON, Ill. - In its last game played at Williams Field, the Samford University softball team took advantage of solid pitching performances from Margaret Carter, Amanda Barrs and Kayla Burris on Sunday as the Bulldogs' trio combined to throw a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.

With the win, Samford (13-22, 5-9 Ohio Valley Conference) earned its second shutout victory of the season and snapped a five-game losing streak. The Bulldogs' previous shutout win occurred March 1 against Grambling State, 6-0, at the 2008 Magic City Classic.

Samford's Barrs (3-6) pitched a predominant portion of Sunday's game and picked up the victory in the circle. The Bulldogs' sophomore from Harrisburg, N.C., hurled four innings in the win and only allowed one hit. She tallied two strikeouts and gave up three walks.

Burris came on in relief of Barrs in the sixth inning and threw two innings of no-hit softball en route to her first career save. A native of Cordova, Tenn., Burris picked up one strikeout in the victory.

Samford's Carter started the game in the circle and pitched one inning. She allowed two of the Panthers' three hits and earned one strikeout.

With Sunday's loss, Eastern Illinois (12-16, 7-4 OVC) suffered its first home defeat of the 2008 season. The Panthers were also held scoreless for only the fourth time this year.

Eastern Illinois' Karyn Mackie (6-7) was saddled with the loss. She only allowed a pair of hits in two innings, but gave up the game's only run in the top of the second inning.

Samford scored the game-winning run as Barrs ripped a leadoff double to left center field. During the next at-bat, she scored all the way from second base when the Panthers' Megan Nelson committed an error by trying to throw Katie England out at first base.

Barrs went 2-for-3 at the plate Sunday and scored the game's only run. Junior Jessica Owens turned in the best offensive performance of the day as she went 3-for-3. The Bulldogs' speedy leftfielder improved her team-leading batting average to .345.

The Samford University softball team will next be in action Wednesday at 6 p.m., as the Bulldogs travel to Jacksonville, Ala., for a midweek OVC matchup against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks.