Feb. 10, 2012

Box Score

DELAND, Fla. ---- Samford opened its 2012 softball campaign Friday at the Stetson Invitational in DeLand, Fla., where the Bulldogs (1-0) earned a 4-0 victory over South Dakota (0-2). Samford was set to play a second game against host team Stetson (1-0), but the game was called due to inclement weather after only three pitches. A potential makeup date and time is still to be announced.

"It was a great team win" said Head Coach Mandy Burford in her Samford head coaching debut . "From right out of the gate, they had great enthusiasm and effort and they had the will to win. They were determined. You could see it in their eyes that they would do whatever it took.

"It was a bit rocky at first, we couldn't execute as well as we would have liked but we kept battling and battling. We always managed to get someone on base and we finally got some runs across. It was a good first win because it wasn't an easy, dominating game. Everyone had to get involved."

Samford served as the home team in the matchup versus the Coyotes and junior transfer Misha Aldridge made her first Samford start on the mound. The Madison, Ala., native pitched exceptionally well in her debut, throwing a four-hit complete game shutout, including three strikeouts and no walks. She was equally as effective at the plate, batting in the cleanup spot and going 1-2, including a two-run homer in the fifth.

"Misha was a monster today on both sides of the plate," said Burford. "The main thing her and I talked about was extending through the ball with her swing and, the next thing you know, she hits one 50 feet over the fence. Coach Brandon Duncan and her have been working hard on her off-speed pitch and she was able to use it well today to keep South Dakota off balance."

Along with Aldridge, it was the top half of Samford's order that provided the offensive spark, earning seven of the team's nine hits. Kayla Shaffer went 3-4 out of the two-hole with one run scored. Madison Dickey and Robyn Harmon went a combined 3-5 batting first and third, respectively, with Dickey hitting Samford's only other extra-base hit in the form of a third-inning double.

"You can't say enough today about the top of lineup," said Burford. "Our three lefties led us off and they had great hits and really set the tone for the rest of the team."

The Bulldogs put a number in the hit column first as Shaffer, batting second, followed a first-inning leadoff walk to Dickey with a single to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Harmon moved them over with a sacrifice bunt, but a pop up and a ground out left them stranded at the end of the first.

In the bottom of the third, Dickey hit a one-out double which Shaffer followed with a single into center field. Dickey tried to score and was tagged out at home, but the throw allowed Shaffer to advance all the way to third base with Harmon coming up to bat. Harmon put the Bulldogs on the board first with an RBI single down the right side on a 2-2 count to bring Shaffer home.

South Dakota looked to threaten the shutout in the top of the fourth, as consecutive singles put runners on first and second to extend the inning with two outs. Aldridge pitched the Bulldogs out of trouble however, forcing the following batter to pop up to first base.

In the fifth, Shaffer got her third hit of the day with a one-out single to center field. Harmon reached on a fielder's choice to bring Aldridge up with two outs and on the first pitch, Aldridge put the ball past the fence with a two-run homer, putting the Bulldogs up 3-0.

In the top of the sixth, South Dakota looked to benefit off of Samford's only error of the game, as a throwing error on a force-out at second base put runners at the corners with one out. The next batter grounded out to third, preventing the runner from scoring, but it allowed the runner at first to advance and put two Coyotes in scoring position with two out. For the second time, Aldridge left two runners stranded with two out, as the following batter grounded out to second to preserve the shutout.

Samford advanced their lead again in the sixth inning off a Rachel Bickert RBI single. Arica Dykes came in as a pinch runner following a leadoff walk by Nicole Bobrowski, and Dykes promptly stole second and then later stole third following an Alex Adams lineout. With one out, Bickert hit one to right field to bring Dykes home and put the Bulldogs up 4-0. That ended the day for South Dakota starting pitcher Paige Policky, who came off the mound with four earned runs and eight hits in 5.1 innings pitched.

Samford continues action tomorrow, playing back-to-back games. First, they face off against South Dakota at 10 a.m. CT followed by Iona at 12:30 p.m. CT.

Other Friday Games: Stetson 6, South Dakota 1

Full Saturday Schedule (All Times are Central):
Samford vs. South Dakota - 10 a.m.
Iona vs. Samford - 12:30 p.m.
Stetson vs. South Dakota - 3 p.m.
Stetson vs. Iona - 5:30 p.m.