May 16, 2010

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford senior center fielder Wayne Miller went 4-for-5 with a home run, a double and three RBI to lead the Bulldog baseball team to an 8-5 Southern Conference win over Western Carolina Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.

The win, which came after a three hour and 34 minute rain delay in the seventh inning, gives Samford the series win, two games to one. Samford improves to 29-21 overall and 16-10 in SoCon play with the win. Western Carolina drops to 31-18-1 overall and 13-13-1 in league play.

The game was the final home game for Miller and 10 other seniors on the Samford team. Following Miller, fellow senior Trey Hayes went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Michael Johnson went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Bulldogs.

Samford senior pitcher Mark Lewallyn pitched 2.0 innings in relief, giving up just one hit to get the win and improve to 1-0 on the season. Lex Rutledge tossed the final 2.0 innings, giving up just one hit to earn his 11th save of the season, tying the school's single-season record for saves, set by Joseph Edens in 2006.

For Western Carolina, Matt Johns went 3-for-5 at the plate. Austin Schultz was 2-for-3 for the Catamounts. Tyler Kirkpatrick and Dylan de Graaf each homered and went1-for 4 for WCU. T.J. Page pitched 2.0 innings, giving up five runs on four hits to take the loss and drop his season record to 1-1.

Western Carolina jumped on top first with a run in the top of the first inning. Kirkpatrick hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Schultz for a 1-0 WCU lead.

Samford came back with three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead. Miller led the inning off with a solo home run to left-center field to tie the score. Hayes later hit a two-run homer to left field with Bo Smith on base for a two-run Samford lead.

The Catamounts plated two runs in the top of the second inning to tie the score at 3-3. Tyler White hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Ollie Goulder to make the score 3-2. The tying run scored on de Graaf's solo home run to left field.

Samford took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Miller doubled to left field to drive in Brad Moss and then scored on a WCU error to give Samford a 5-3 lead.

Western Carolina plated a run in the top of the third inning to cut the Samford lead to 5-4. Kirkpatrick led the inning off with a solo home run to left field to bring the Catamounts to within one run.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Samford added a run to make the score 6-4. Miller singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Johnson for a two-run Samford lead.

The Catamounts came back with a run in the top of the fifth inning to cut Samford's lead to 6-5. Schultz scored from third base when Ross Heffley reached base on a Samford error.

Samford plated another run in the bottom of the fifth inning to push its lead to 7-5. Smith hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Mason Meredeth for Samford's seventh run of the game.

After the rain delay in the seventh inning, Samford added one final run in the bottom of the eighth inning to make the final score 8-5. The game's final run was scored when Moss reached base on a WCU error, allowing Johnson to score from third base.

Samford will return to action on Wednesday, May 19, when the Bulldogs open a three-game SoCon series at Elon. The series-opener is scheduled for a 6 p.m. (CT) start from Elon, N.C.