Feb. 24, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
The Samford baseball team will play a four-game series this weekend at Jacksonville University. The series will begin Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. (CST) at JU's John Sessions Stadium. The teams will also play a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. (CST) and a single game on Sunday, also at 12 p.m. (CST).
Samford enters the weekend with a record of 5-0. The Bulldogs played two midweek games earlier in the week, defeating Alabama A&M by scores of 14-1 and 10-0 in those games.
The Bulldogs are led at the plate by Saxon Butler, batting .647 (11-for-17) with six doubles and 10 RBI. Phillip Ervin is batting .625 (5-for-8) with a double, a triple, a home run and four RBI. Michael Johnson is hitting .588 (10-for-17) with a double, a triple and six RBI.
Samford is scheduled to start Kyle Putkonen (1-0, 0.00 ERA) on the mound in Friday's series opener. Lex Rutledge (1-0, 13.50 ERA) will start the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, while Joshua VanFleteren (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will get the starting nod in game two of the doubleheader. In Sunday's game, Josh Martin (1-0, 1.93 ERA) will start the game on the mound for Samford.
Jacksonville enters the weekend with a record of 2-2. The Dolphins are coming off a 5-3 loss to No. 8 Florida State on Tuesday.
Jacksonville has been led at the plate by Daniel Gulbransen with a .500 (8-for-16) batting average with three RBI. Jimmy Howick is batting .438 (7-for-16) with two home runs and four RBI. Kevin Lehane is batting .313 (5-for-16) with two home runs and seven RBI.
Tony Mollica (0-0, 5.79 ERA) will be Jacksonville's starting pitcher on Friday. Steve Eagerton (0-0, 1.50 ERA) and Sean Green (1-0, 0.00 ERA) are scheduled to start the two games of Saturday's doubleheader, while Chris Kaminski (0-2, 23.62 ERA) will start Sunday's series finale for the Dolphins.
Friday's and Sunday's games can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu. Fans can follow all four games online via Live Stats at www.judolphins.com.
