Feb. 26, 2011

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford softball team split a pair of games Saturday on day two of the Magic City Classic at Bulldog Softball Field. The Bulldogs fell, 7-0, to Indiana State in the second game of the day before routing Alabama State, 13-0, in the fourth game of the day. Samford is now 3-10 on the season.

In the first game against Indiana State, the Sycamores got their first run off a solo home run by Bailey Wittenauer to lead off the second inning. The second run was scored when the batter, Stephanie Jonson, reached first base on an error. ISU put up three more runs in the third inning, starting with a score on a wild pitch. Then Alyssa Marcum homered to left field to increase the Sycamores' lead to 5-0.

In the fourth inning, Alex Baumgart batted in ISU's sixth run with one out while the Sycamores' seventh run came in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly.

Kayla Burris (2-5) took the loss for the Bulldogs, giving up five earned runs on nine hits in six complete innings of work. She struck out two batters and allowed no walks.

Marcum led the Sycamores with a 3-for-3 performance at the plate, two runs and two RBI. Wittenauer went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI while four other ISU players tallied a hit as well.

Lindsey Beisser (2-1) recorded 10 strikeouts and gave up just one hit in a complete seven-inning appearance in the circle.

In the second game of the day, Samford jumped out to a quick lead against Alabama State after Kayla Shaffer led off the first inning with a walk then stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on Julianne Surane's sacrifice fly.

The Bulldogs then put up five more runs in the second inning, starting with a single by Lakan Smith to bring in Regan Bates from third. Smith then scored while Burris reached on an error at first base, and later Adams singled to score Burris from third and Shaffer from second. The Bulldogs led 6-0 going into the third inning.

Samford added three more runs in the third inning when Smith doubled with two runners on and one out. The hit scored Bates and then Smith scored on an error by the third baseman. Shaffer then singled to score Fisher from third.

Two RBI singles in the inning fourth put Samford up 11-0 in the fourth inning, and Adams's two-run homer in the fifth inning extended the Bulldogs' lead to 13-0. The home run was Adams' first of the season and the team's fifth.

Burris' no-hitter was erased when Breeya Wright got a base hit to lead off the fifth inning but Samford quickly recorded three outs and walked away with their third victory of the season.

Bates went 2-for-2 with two runs while Smith was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Adams went 2-for-4 with a run and four RBI while five other Bulldogs also tallied a hit.

Burris earned her second win of the season, giving up just one hit while recording five strikeouts and allowing only one walk in five innings.

Stephanie Hernandez (3-8) took the loss, giving up eight earned runs on 12 hits. She struck out one batter and walked three. She also had three hit batsmen. In other action at Bulldog Field Saturday, Eastern Illinois defeated Alabama State, 14-1, in the 10 a.m. game. In the 3 p.m. game, Lipscomb defeated Radford, 3-1, and St. Louis upended Radford, 1-0, in a eight-inning pitcher's duel, in the 8 p.m. game.

Samford closes out play in the Magic City Classic Sunday at 2 p.m., against Radford at Bulldog Field. Stephen F. Austin and Eastern Illinois start things off at 9 a.m., followed by St. Louis and Lipscomb at 11:30 a.m.