Samford University
Jacksonville
Baseball Drops Series Opener At Jacksonville
2.25.11 | Baseball
Feb. 25, 2011
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Samford baseball team suffered its first loss of the 2011 season in a 6-1 setback in game one of its weekend series at Jacksonville Friday night at Sessions Stadium.
With the loss, Samford drops to 5-1 on the season. Jacksonville improves to 3-2 with the win.
Samford starting pitcher Kyle Putkonen (1-1) took the loss for the Bulldogs. Putkonen pitched 5.2 innings, giving up six runs, just four earned, on eight hits and striking out three batters in the loss.
The Bulldogs were led at the plate by Gardner Richey with a solo home run to account for Samford's lone run of the game, in a 1-for-4 performance. Michael Johnson, Stephen Ballard and Phillip Ervin had one hit each for the Bulldogs.
Jacksonville's Tony Mollica (1-0) earned the win on the mound, tossing 6.0 innings, giving up one run on two hits and striking out seven batters. Adam Brett Walker led Jacksonville at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Jimmy Howick drove in two runs in a 1-for-3 performance at the plate.
Samford jumped on top first with a run in the top of the second inning. With two outs in the inning, Richey hit a solo home run to left field, his third homer of the season, to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.
Jacksonville answered with two runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead. Alex Swenson singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Walker to tie the score. Chris Moye later hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in Howick to give the Dolphins the lead.
The Dolphins added two runs in the bottom of the third inning to push its lead to 4-1. Howick singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Walker and Kevin Lehane to give Jacksonville a three-run lead.
Jacksonville added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning and another run in the sixth to make the score 6-1. In the fifth inning, Walker singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Jonathan Murphy for the Dolphins' fifth run of the game. The run in the sixth inning scored when Taylor Ratliff reached base on a bunt single to bring in Esterlin Perozo from third base for a five-run Dolphin lead.
Samford and Jacksonville will continue their series with a doubleheader Saturday at 12 p.m. (CST). Fans can follow the game online via Live Stats at www.judolphins.com.
