May 4, 2008

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. - The Samford baseball team swept an Ohio Valley Conference doubleheader at Eastern Kentucky Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs won game one, 4-3 in eight innings, and they took game two by a score of 14-9. Both games were scheduled for seven innings.

With the sweep, Samford improves to 29-18 overall and 15-5 in the OVC. EKU falls to 22-24-1 overall and 9-12 in league play.

"This was a big series win for us, because this is a team that is chasing us (in the OVC standings)," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "We needed to try to create a little more separation between us and the teams behind us in the league, and today's wins were big in trying to do that."

In game one, Bear Burnett drove in the game-winning run with a single to right field in the top of the eighth inning, driving in Michael Marseco to give Samford a 4-3 win.

Bill Whitehead was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI for Samford in the first game. Marcus Rodriguez hit a solo home run in a 1-for-3 performance. Kyle Nichols pitched the final 1.1 innings in relief to earn the win on the mound. Jonathan Stephens started the game and pitched 6.2 innings, giving up three runs on eight hits in a no decision.

For EKU in game one, Dylan McMaine was 3-for-4 at the plate. Tyler Barnett was 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Jim Clancy pitched the final inning, giving up one run on three hits to take the loss.

Eastern Kentucky plated a run in the first inning and another in the third inning to take a 2-0 lead.

Samford came back to tie the score with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Wayne Miller reached base on an error to lead the inning off. Michael Johnson then doubled to left field and Miller moved to third base on the play. Whitehead then singled up the middle to drive in Miller and Johnson to make the score 2-2.

Samford took the lead with a run in the top of the seventh inning. Rodriguez hit a solo home run to left field, his fifth homer of the season, to give Samford a 3-2 lead.

EKU came back with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the score and force extra innings. Clint Seymour singled up the middle to drive in Jayson Langfels to tie the score at 3-3.

In game two for Samford, Marseco was 4-for-5 with a home run and one RBI. Tripp Swann also homered in the game for Samford. Johnson, Burnett and John Morgan had two hits each for Samford.

Michael Jarry pitched 4.1 innings, giving up five earned runs on nine hits to earn the win. Nichols pitched the final 1.1 innings to earn his fifth save of the season.

For EKU in the second game, Aaron Barrows, Anthony Ottrando, Langfels and Barnett had two hits each. Chris Hord pitched 2.0 innings, giving up five runs on six hits to take the loss.

After Samford plated four runs in the top of the first inning, EKU came back with three runs in the bottom of the first inning to cut the Samford lead to 4-3.

Samford added a run in the second inning, three runs in the third and three more in the fourth to push its lead to 11-3. EKU then plated one run in the bottom of the fourth inning and three runs in the fifth to cut the lead to 11-7.

After Samford scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning, EKU answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 13-9. Samford added one final run in the seventh inning to make the final score 14-9.

Samford will return to action Tuesday evening when the Bulldogs play at Lipscomb. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. from Nashville, Tenn.