April 5, 2009
Final Stats
STATESBORO, Ga. ---- The Samford softball team dropped a road series with Georgia Southern as it fell to the Eagles in the final game of the series on Sunday. The Eagles (17-16, 7-5 SoCon) shutout the Bulldogs (11-19, 5-10 SoCon) in a 3-0 win.
Samford had many opportunities to score when it put runners on the bases in each of the seven innings, but the trouble came with getting those runners home.
To start the game, Kylie Harmon was walked with one out before Katie England reached on a fielder's choice on which Harmon was out at second. With two outs, Amanda Barrs was hit by a pitch and England advanced, but England was then caught stealing at third base.
Georgia Southern came out swinging in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on three hits with two outs. With runners on first and third, the runner on third scored on a wild pitch while the runner on first advanced to second. Megen Smith stepped up and drove a double down the right field line to bring in the second run, and the Eagles were quickly up 2-0 at the bottom of the first inning.
Samford loaded the bases in the fourth on one hit. Barrs led off the inning with a walk and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Aaren Fisher. Amy Gonzalez reached on an error by third baseman Robyne Siliga before Robyn Harmon singled to center field. However, Rachael Reeves struck out looking and Amanda Jordan grounded out to end the inning, leaving three runners on.
The Eagles struck again in the bottom of the sixth inning when Sam Russo led off with a home run to left field. Samford retired two straight with a fly out and a ground out before Michelle Beasley tripled. However, Beasley was left standing when Nina Iduate grounded out to first base.
In the seventh inning, Kristy Lawrence led off with a base hit to third base but was thrown out when Kylie Harmon reached on a fielder's choice. Barrs kept the Bulldogs in it on a base hit with two outs but was also thrown out on a fielder's choice by Fisher.
Robyn Harmon was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate while Barrs was 1-for-2 and Lawrence was 1-for-4. Barrs pitched a full six innings, giving up eight hits and one earned run.
Georgia Southern's Russo was 3-for-3 at the plate while five other Eagles each grabbed one hit. Brianna Streetmon pitched the complete game, giving up eight hits and striking out two.
The Bulldogs will be back in action this Wednesday, April 8, as they take on Alabama in a make-up game that was previously scheduled to be played on March 25. Samford and Alabama will meet up at the Alabama Softball Complex in Tuscaloosa, Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
