Feb. 26, 2012

Samford vs. Eastern Illinois Box Score
Samford vs. Mercer Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- The Samford softball squad let two more games get away from them in the closing day of the Samford Scramble on Sunday, as they fell to Eastern Illinois, 3-1, and then fell to Mercer, 7-4, in extra innings.

Samford drops to 3-9 on the season, as they have lost the last five games in a row. Eastern Illinois moves to 4-3 after the weekend and Mercer is now 4-7. The Bulldog offense struggled to find a rhythm Sunday, as they were out-hit 17-9 and struck out 14 times between the two games. Early inning deficits put the Bulldogs in a tough spot, as both Eastern Illinois and Mercer jumped ahead 3-0 before Samford could answer back in later innings.

Alex Adams, Caroline Seay and Robyn Harmon all had multiple hits on the day, with Adams earning three of the team's five RBI. Rachel Bickert had a great day defensively, earning starts at second and first base with 16 putouts and five assists with no errors.

In the opening game of the day, Mercer defeated Eastern Illinois, 9-6, in eight innings.

Game One: Eastern Illinois 3 (4-3), Samford 1 (3-8)

An early lead by the Panthers would prove the difference in the game, as both offenses were limited by strong pitching. Robyn Harmon pitched a complete game on the mound for Samford, only allowing five hits and three earned runs with no walks, but takes the loss to move to 2-3 on the season. Eastern Illinois' Hanna Mennenga earned the win with a five-hit complete game, striking out six and allowing only one run.

Alex Adams got the start at first base and went 2-2 at the plate, including an RBI single to center field in the fifth inning. Harmon, Seay and Abby Adams also had one hit each on the day.

The Eastern Illinois offense went up 3-0 early, plating three in the top of the first. With one out, a groundout to the first basemen would be enough to bring home a run from third, advancing a runner to second in the process. A single would put runners at the corners and the ensuing deep double would clear the bases, bringing in both runners to give the Panthers the early 3-0 edge.

In the following 3.0 innings, the team's would only combine for three hits as offense was at a premium. The Bulldogs would finally break into the run column in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, shortstop Abby Adams roped an opposite field double to right center which Alex Adams followed up with a single to center field to bring the runner home from second.

The pitchers' duel would continue until the end of the game, as the remaining 3.0 innings only saw one hit for either team, making the final score 3-1 in favor of the visiting Panthers.

Game Two: Mercer 7 (4-7), Samford 4 (3-9) - 8 Innings

Samford found itself in an early three-run deficit again against Mercer, but the Bulldogs managed to come back and tie it, forcing extra innings. However, the Bears offense came alive in the extra frame, outscoring the Bulldogs 4-1. Samford managed to limit the damage in regulation, as the Bears left seven runners on base in the first seven innings.

Nicole Bobrowski came in relief for starting pitcher Misha Aldridge in the fifth inning, as Bobrowski pitched 3.2 innings and took her first loss of the season, moving to 0-1. Aldridge pitched 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits and three walks but only three runs, two earned. Bobrowski pitched well out of the bullpen but the late-game outburst gives her a tough loss.

Offensively, Samford converted on all four of their hits, scoring four and only leaving four on base. Alex Adams earned two RBI batting out of the three-hole as the designated player, while Bickert accounted for two of Samford's four runs.

Mercer jumped ahead to an early 3-0 lead, scoring three in the first two innings. In the first, an error in right field on a single advanced the leadoff batter all the way to third and another single would bring her home as an unearned run. In the second, with two outs and two runners in scoring position, a single down the left field line would bring both runners home.

Samford didn't waste much time coming back, as the Bulldogs would tie the game up with a three-run rally in the bottom of the third. With runners on first and second and two outs, Madison Dickey put a single into right-center, bringing in Seay from second and moving Bickert to third. Alex Adams popped up to left field, seemingly ending the rally, but the Mercer outfielder dropped the ball allowing Bickert and Dickey to cross the plate on the error.

The score would remain tied through the seventh, forcing extra innings. With a runner placed on second base to start the inning because of extra-inning rules, the first batter for the Bears would be hit by a pitch, putting two on with nobody out. Two batters later, a bobbled ball at shortstop would result in an error and an unearned run with runners at first and second. Mercer followed that up with a long three-run homer, putting the Bears ahead 7-3 after the first half of the eighth.

With one on and two out in the bottom of the eighth, Samford was down to their last hitter. Harmon looked to start a rally, pulling a double down the right field line to score Bickert from second and bring Samford within three runs. However, Harmon looked to advance to third on the long hit, but was tagged out at third off a good cutoff throw by Mercer.

The Bulldogs begin a six-game road trip on Wednesday, Feb. 29, as Samford takes on in-state rival Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Ala. at 5 p.m.