April 5, 2011

Box Score

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Samford freshman outfielder Phillip Ervin went 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI to lead the Bulldog baseball team to a 4-2 win at 21st-ranked Alabama Tuesday evening at Sewell-Thomas Stadium.

The win, which was Samford's fourth-straight over Alabama, improves the Bulldogs' overall record to 20-9. Alabama drops to 21-10 with the loss.

Samford's C.K. Irby, in his first career start on the mound, pitched 3.0 innings, giving up no runs on just one hit to earn the win and improve to 3-1 on the season. Andrew Jones pitched the final inning to pick up his eighth save of the season. Tyler Vanderheiden, Joseph Burns, Gil Walker, Grant Sides and Arthur Strauss all saw time on the mound for Samford as well. The seven pitchers combined for six strikeouts and just two walks.

"I think the biggest thing is our kids came down here and played with confidence," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "We came down here to win a game and we felt the arms we had to throw tonight were going to be good enough to get us a win, and obviously all of those guys threw really well."

In addition to Ervin at the plate for Samford, Saxon Butler, Tyler Filliben and Brad Moss had a hit each for the Bulldogs.

Alabama was led at the plate by Taylor Dugas, with a home run and two RBI in a 1-for-4 performance at the plate. Josh Rosecrans and Brett Booth had a hit each for the Crimson Tide.

Case Nixon pitched 1.0 inning, giving up three runs on one hit to take the loss on the mound. Nixon drops his season record to 0-1 with the setback.

Samford jumped on top first with three runs in the top of the third inning. Tommy Corbin walked to lead off the inning. With two outs, Michael Johnson walked. Ervin then homered to left field to give Samford a 3-0 lead. The home run was Ervin's third of the season.

The Bulldogs plated another run in the top of the fifth inning to push their lead to 4-0. Moss doubled with one out in the inning. With two outs, Ervin singled to right field to drive in Moss for a four-run Samford lead.

Alabama came back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the Samford lead to 4-2. Booth walked with one out to start the rally. With two outs in the inning, Dugas hit a home run to right field to cut the Samford lead to two runs.

Samford will return to action on Friday, when the Bulldogs travel to Cullowhee, N.C., to take on Western Carolina in the first game of a three-game Southern Conference series. The teams will play Friday at 5 p.m. (CT), Saturday at 12 p.m. (CT) and Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT).