Feb. 14, 2010

Box Score

MOBILE, Ala. ---- The Samford softball team begins the season 2-1 after splitting a pair of contests in the final day of the Mardi Gras Invitational. The Bulldogs fell to Central Arkansas, 5-4, in Sunday morning's meeting before bouncing back with an 11-2 five-inning victory over host team South Alabama Sunday evening.

"We played well today," Samford Head Coach Beanie Ketcham said. "We just didn't have enough energy in the first game today, and really, we didn't deserve to win that game. But from the first pitch of the last game, we were just focused. We executed well and stole bases and ran well."

Against Central Arkansas, Amy Gonzalez led the Bulldogs with a 3-for-4 appearance at the plate followed by Katie England who went 2-for-4 and scored two of Samford's four runs. Alex Adams brought in three of Samford's four runs while, defensively, Robyn Harmon and Anna Kimbrell combined for 11 of Samford's 21 putouts.

Amanda Barrs (0-1) started at the circle, pitching four and one-third innings. She gave up three runs on three hits while striking out three and walking two. Stephanie Royall came in to finish out the fifth inning, walking two batters while giving up one earned run on one hit. Robyn Harmon finished out the contest for the Bulldogs, giving up just three hits while striking out two batters.

Central Arkansas got on the board first in the top of the first inning before tacking on another run in the top of the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Samford cut the lead to one in the bottom of the fourth when a sacrifice fly by Adams brought England around to home plate.

The Bears added another run in the top of the fifth before holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the bottom of the inning. The UCA made it a 5-1 lead in the top of the sixth after scoring two more runs. The Bulldogs put together a nice three-run comeback in the bottom of the sixth but it fell just one run short of tying the game.

With Harmon and England on second and third, Adams doubled to bring the duo in and get Samford within two runs of the Bears. Amanda Jordan singled, and then reached second base on the throw, which brought Emily Waters, who was pinch running for Adams, home to make it a 5-4 ballgame.

The Bulldogs shut out the Jaguars in the first three innings in Sunday's matchup against South Alabama. Samford got on the board quickly in the first inning before putting up six in the top of the second inning to grab a 7-0 lead.

Aaren Fisher led off the inning, reaching base after being hit by a pitch, before taking second on a sacrifice bunt by Jordan. Fisher stole third and Jordan stole second due to a throwing error before USA loaded the bases after hitting Rachael Reeves by a pitch. Gonzalez singled to bring in Fisher, and with two outs, Barrs hit a grand slam to put the Bulldogs up, 7-0.

The Jaguars kept Samford scoreless in the top of the fourth inning and got on the board with two runs in the bottom of the inning. However, those runs were unearned as the scorers reached base on a hit-by-pitch.

Samford added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning before shutting out the Jaguars in the bottom of the inning, ending the game on a run rule.

Gonzalez and Adams led the Bulldogs at the plate, both going 2-for-4 against the Jaguars. However, Barrs and Harmon were the leaders when it came to score as Barrs tallied six RBI while Harmon scored three runs.

Harmon (1-0) also pitched a complete game and secured her first win of the season, the fourth in her career. She gave up just two runs on two hits and struck out four batters while only walking two.

"We had several highlights this weekend," Ketcham said. "The win over SIUE, a team that won 40 games last year, was obviously a great win. The comeback in the sixth of the game against Central Arkansas was good. It was good to see that we could come back after being down. We just couldn't finish in that game. And they way we played in the last game along with Barrs' grand slam was exciting. Everybody in the lineup is contributing."

The Bulldogs are back in action this Thursday, Feb. 18, as they take on Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena, Miss., at 2 p.m. Then Samford returns to host the Magic City Classic, Feb. 26-28, at Bulldog Field.