April 26, 2009

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Elon Phoenix scored five runs in the final two innings to grab a 12-9 come from behind win over Samford in Southern Conference baseball action Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.

With the win, Elon earns the sweep in the three-game weekend series. The Phoenix improve to 28-13 overall and 17-4 in SoCon play with the win. Samford drops to 15-29 overall and 8-16 in league play.

Elon's Dallas Tarleton went 3-for-5 at the plate with three home runs and five RBI. Chase Austin was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Mike Melillo went 2-for-5 with a home run and one RBI for the Phoenix.

Jordan Darnell pitched 2.0 innings in relief, giving up one run on one hit to earn the win. Thomas Girdwood tossed the final inning to earn the save for Elon.

Samford was led at the plate by Trey Hayes, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. David Schulze hit a grand slam in a 1-for-4 performance. Mason Meredeth was 1-for-4, earning a hit in his 29th-consecutive game, tying a Samford record set last season by Michael Marseco. A hit in Wednesday night's game against Alabama A&M would make Meredeth the first player in Samford history to have a 30-game hitting streak.

Kyle Nichols pitched the final 2.0 innings, giving up three runs, all unearned, on two hits to take the loss for the Bulldogs. Andrew Jones and Josh Martin also saw time on the mound for Samford.

After Elon took a 2-0 lead with a run in the first inning and another in the second, Samford plated four runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-2 lead. Schulze walked to lead off the inning. Bo Smith and Hayes both singled to load the bases. Gary Cramer was then hit by a pitch to bring in Schulze for Samford's first run of the game.

Michael Johnson then singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Hayes and Smith for a 3-2 Samford lead. Johnson moved to second base and Cramer moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brad Moss. Wayne Miller then hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Cramer to make the score 4-2.

Elon answered with two runs in the top of the third inning to tie the score. After Justin Hilt singled and Austin walked with one out, Pat Irvine tripled to drive in Austin and Hilt to tie the score at 4-4.

After Samford took a 5-4 lead with a run in the third inning, Elon regained the lead with three runs in the fourth inning. Tarleton led the inning off with a solo home run to tie the score. Austin singled to drive in Ryan Adams, and Hilt later scored on a passed ball for a 7-5 Elon lead.

Samford came back with four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 9-7 lead. After Miller walked, Stephen Ballard singled to center and Meredeth walked to load the bases, Schulze hit a grand slam to right field for a two-run Samford lead.

Elon came back with two runs in the top of the eighth inning to tie the score at 9-9. Melillo and Tarleton led the inning off with back-to-back home runs to tie the score.

The Phoenix plated three runs in the top of the ninth inning to take the 12-9 win. Austin scored the eventual winning run from third base when Melillo reached base on a Samford error. Tarleton then hit a two-run homer for the game's final two runs.

Samford will return to action Wednesday evening when the Bulldogs play host to Alabama A&M. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start from Joe Lee Griffin Field.