May 8, 2010

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford softball team split its doubleheader with UNC Greensboro Saturday to start its final regular-season Southern Conference series at Bulldog Field. The Bulldogs dropped the first game, 5-3, but bounced back to down the Spartans in the second game, 7-1. Samford improves to 18-31 overall and 9-13 in the SoCon while UNC Greensboro falls to 25-27 overall and 12-9 in league play.

UNC Greensboro took a quick 5-0 lead in the first game, scoring in the first, second and fourth innings before Samford could get on the board. With two outs and runners on second and third in the top of the first inning, Kaitlin Merkt hit a single to deep center field to bring in Alex Emeterio and Kristen Gabel to score the first two Spartan runs.

The Spartans extended their lead in the top of the second when Heather Robb led off the inning with a home run. Then UNCG added two more in the top of the first when Merkt homered to center field and then Whitney Sirois reached on a fielder's choice while Robb scored from third.

Samford finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Anna Kimbrell singled with the bases loaded and no outs to drive in Amanda Barrs. After Spartan pitcher Amber Harrell retired Kayla Shaffer for the first out, Rachael Reeves hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring in Jordan before Madeline Baker was thrown out at home for the third out. However, Samford was able to cut the lead to, 5-2.

The Bulldogs scored once more in the bottom of the sixth inning when Kimbrell doubled to drive home Alex Adams from first base, but a quick seventh inning would give UNCG the 5-3 win.

Kimbrell led the Bulldogs in game one, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Barrs and Adams were 1-for-2 at the plate and each scored one run while Amy Gonzalez was 1-for-3 and Amanda Jordan scored one run.

Barrs (4-15) took the loss, giving up five earned runs on five hits while striking out three batters and walking two in 3.1 innings. Kayla Burris finished out the game and fanned three batters.

Merkt led the Spartans with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate and scored one run while driving in three. Robb was 1-for-2 in game one and also plated two runs while driving in one. Gabel went 1-for-4 and scored one while Sirois had one RBI and Amber Olenderski went 1-for-3.

Harrell (13-13) earned the win, giving up just five hits in seven innings. She walked two batters and struck out seven. All three runs scored by the Bulldogs were unearned.

Game two was a scoreless affair until the fourth inning, with each team leaving four runners stranded up to that point. UNCG finally got on the board in the top of the fourth, when April Langley scored on a groundout by Robb.

Samford answered back in the bottom of the inning, though, taking a commanding 5-1 lead with an explosive inning. Kimbrell scored the first run from second base when Reeves reached on an error by first baseman Emeterio. Then Gonzalez reached first base and Shaffer scored on an error by the pitcher, Cory Mattson, who failed to execute the fielder's choice. Aaren Fisher then stepped up and hit a triple to right field to drive in Gonzalez and Reeves, and Katie England drove in Fisher on a bunt to put the Bulldogs up 5-1 before the Spartans could record the last two outs.

The Bulldogs plated two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out and two runners on, England reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Barrs then singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw while Gonzalez and Reeves scored. The Spartans managed to get out of the inning with back-to-back swinging strikeouts, but the Bulldogs retired the Spartans in order in the top of the seventh and walked away with the 7-1 win.

Fisher was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate in game two for Samford. She also scored one run and batted in two to lead the Bulldogs. Shaffer went 2-for-3 and scored one run while England, Barrs and Adams were 1-for-4 at the plate. England also had one RBI while Barrs had two, and Gonzalez went 1-for-3 while scoring two runs and driving in one. Reeves also had an RBI and scored two runs while Kimbrell scored one.

Stephanie Royall (8-8) earned the win and gave up five hits in 5.1 innings. She recorded one strikeout and one walk before being relieved by Burris. Burris gave up just one hit in 1.2 innings while striking out one batter.

Sirois led the Spartans in game two, going 2-for-3 at the plate. Jordan Jewett went 2-for-2 while Robb and Emeterio each had a hit. Langley scored the only run for the Spartans while Robb was credited with the RBI.

Mattson (11-12) took the loss after giving up seven hits in four innings and striking out one batter. All five runs that scored while Mattson was in the circle were unearned. Harrell took over in the fifth inning and gave up two earned runs on two hits while striking out three batters.

The Bulldogs and Spartans will close out the series and the season Sunday at 1 p.m. Samford will honor its seniors in a ceremony that will take place approximately 15 minutes before the first pitch.

Fans can follow the action via live video streaming at www.samfordsports.com. The season finale will also be broadcasted on Samford's radio station with Samford's Director of Multimedia Services, Mike Grace, on the call. Fans can listen to the broadcast locally at 91.1 FM WVSU or on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu. A full recap and box score will be posted at www.samfordsports.com upon the completion of the game.