May 13, 2011

Box Score

STATESBORO, Ga. ---- The Samford softball team fell in its elimination game with the College of Charleston Friday to end its run in the Southern Conference Tournament. The Bulldogs dropped an 8-5 decision that ended the 2011 season.

Kayla Shaffer went down swinging in the top of the first inning before Charleston pitcher Alexa Datko loaded the bases by walking Brianna Chambers, hitting Robyn Harmon with a pitch and then walking Amanda Jordan. Nicole Bobrowski struck out swinging for out number two, but Datko would send Chambers across the plate by walking Alex Adams to move the runners around. Aaren Fisher struck out swinging to end the inning but not before Samford took a 1-0 lead.

However, in the bottom of the inning, Kelsey Hodgson hit a three-run homer to right field to take a 3-1 lead with one out on the board. Bobrowski then got Katie Pesature and Kristi Woodall to ground out to keep the Cougars from causing more damage.

Chambers hit an infield single to lead off the third inning and Harmon followed with a double to deep center field. The Cougars loaded the bases with an intentional walk of Jordan before Bobrowski struck out swinging, but Datko walk Adams to give Samford its second run of the day. Fisher struck out and Whitney Terry flied out to center field to end the inning and leave three runners stranded.

Charleston pushed its lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Pesature hit a two-out single with runners second and third to drive in Katie Forbes. Woodall then hit a pop up that dropped right behind the second baseman that drove in Kelsey Hodgson and moved Pesature to third. However, Katie Nutaitis grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning and leave runners on second and third.

The Bulldogs cut the lead to 5-3 in the top of the fourth when Arica Dykes, who reached first base after being hit by a pitch and stole second, advanced to third on a bunt single by Shaffer and then scored on the throw to home after Shaffer stole second base. Shaffer advanced to third on a groundout by Harmon and then new Charleston pitcher Stephanie Saylors walked Jordan to put runners on the corners with two outs. Jordan advanced to second on a passed ball but Bobrowski flied out to right field to end the inning.

After being held scoreless in the fourth and blanking Samford in the top of the fifth, the Cougars added another run in the bottom of the fifth when Nutaitis hit a two-out single through the left side with runners on second and third to score Hodgson.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, Samford got two runners on as Harmon hit an infield single and Jordan followed with a blooper to advance Harmon to third. Bobrowski then hit a stand up double down the right field line to clear the bases to get the Bulldogs within one run of the Cougars at 6-5. Adams hit a bomb back to the fence but the Charleston centerfielder robbed it as she caught the ball just before it went over to retire the Bulldogs in the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Hillary Stringer walked to get on base and advanced to second on a bunt single by Carly Corthell. Back-to-back groundouts by Lizzy Vaughn and Forbes put two outs on the board. The Bulldogs intentionally walked Hodgson to load the bases and set up a groundout by Pesature, but Pesature singled to centerfield to drive in Corthell and Kaitlyn White who pinch ran for Stringer. The Cougars went up, 8-5, before Woodall flied out to end the inning. Charleston then retired the Bulldogs in order to end the game.

Harmon led the Bulldogs, going 2-for-3 while scoring a run. Jordan went 1-for-1 with a run while Bobrowski was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Bobrowski (4-11) also pitched a complete game, giving up seven earned runs on 10 hits while striking out one batter and walking four.

Saylors (15-10) earned the win for Charleston, pitching four innings of relief for Datko. Saylors gave up two earned runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout. Datko gave up three runs on three hits in three innings while striking out five batters and walking five.

Samford won its first game of the tournament, 6-3, over Appalachian State on Wednesday before falling to UNCG Thursday evening, 4-1. The Bulldogs were then eliminated, 8-5, by the College of Charleston. Samford ends the 2011 season with a record of 14-40.