March 12, 2012

FULL RELEASE NOTES

SAMFORD TO HOST A PAIR OF MIDWEEK MATCHES
The Bulldogs host a pair of midweek matches before the next conference series, as they face off against Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday, March 13 at 4 p.m. and South Alabama on Thursday, March 15 at 4 p.m.

OPPONENT SCOUTING REPORT
Mississippi Valley State - (10-12) - SWAC

South Alabama (14-6, 3-0 Sun Belt) - The Jaguars lost three of their first four games, but have since gone 13-3, including a three-game sweep in their conference-opening series against Louisiana-Monroe. They have seven players hitting at least .300 on the season, five of which have started all 20 games. Alyssa Linn leads the team with a .393 average, earning 24 hits in 61 at bats. Blair Johnson is their hits leader, with 25 in 68 at bats (.368) while Brittany Fowler, batting .362, leads the team in RBI (16) and home runs (4). Their leading pitcher is Jessica Dobson, who is 2-0 in five starts with a 1.08 ERA. Hannah Campbell (6-5) has seen the most time in the circle, pitching 71.1 innings with a 2.65 ERA and 66 strikeouts.

LAST TIME OUT: SAMFORD FALLS IN CONFERENCE OPENER
The Bulldogs fell in three games versus Georgia Southern over the weekend. In game one, Eagles pitcher Sarah Purvis struck out 14 batters but Samford stayed within two runs. The Bulldogs scored one in the bottom of the seventh, looking to make the comeback, but left the potential tying run stranded at second. Samford lost game two, 6-3, as the Bulldogs led 3-2 after four innings, helped by a two-run homer by Misha Aldridge in the second. The Eagles would score in the remaining three innings however, earning the three-run victory. In the third game, the teams combined for six home runs in a high-scoring affair, as Georgia Southern earned the 12-3 victory in six innings.

TWICE AS NICE
Madison Dickey blasted two solo home runs in the third game against Georgia Southern, the first two of her Samford career. It is the first multi-home run game this season for Samford and the first since May 5, 2011 when Samford hit two against the College of Charleston. The last time a single player hit more than one home run was almost exactly one year ago, when former Bulldog Amanda Jordan hit two against Furman on March 20, 2011.

BATTERED UP
Samford's runners weren't getting easy free passes against Georgia Southern, as five runners reached base after being hit by a pitch. Madison Dickey, Kayla Shaffer and Caroline Seay all were plunked in game two on Saturday, while Alex Adams was bruised twice in the game Sunday. Adams leads the team and is second in the SoCon in the category with five so far this season.

WEATHER OUTLOOK: TUESDAY, MARCH 13
Birmingham, Ala.
Temperatures in the Mid 70s
High: 79, Low: 60
5 mph wind
Precipitation: 20 percent

WEATHER OUTLOOK: THURSDAY, MARCH 15
Birmingham, Ala.
Temperatures in the Mid 70s
High: 78, Low: 60
2 mph wind
Precipitation: 20 percent

UP NEXT
Samford plays their first road conference series, heading to the College of Charleston for a three-game series beginning on Saturday, March 17 with a double-header starting at 1 p.m.