April 14, 2012

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

GREENVILLE, S.C. ---- Samford softball split two games with Furman in a Saturday double header, falling 8-3 in game one but bouncing back for a 4-2 victory in game two.

Samford (10-30, 4-10 SoCon) was led offensively by Madison Dickey, who went 5-6, including a double in game two. Alex Adams and Robyn Harmon each earned two RBI on the day as well. Furman (16-28, 5-12 SoCon) was led by Ambree Muller, going 3-5.

Game One: Furman 8, Samford 3

Samford looked to rally in the late innings of game one, but a large lead by the Paladins proved too large as they took game one, 8-3. Shelby Scott (2-6) took the loss in the circle for Samford, while Madison Dickey led the Bulldogs at the plate, going 3-4. Roby Harmon had a good day at the plate, as she went 2-4 including a double in her first start in nearly a month due to an injury. Furman's Lakyn Shull (6-9) earned the win for Furman.

Alex Adams put Samford on the board first, launching a deep two-out solo homer to left field in the top of the first, moving the Bulldogs up 1-0.

Scott defended the lead in the circle, pitching three no-hit innings, before Furman tied the game up in the bottom of the fourth with their own leadoff solo home run. Four more hits in the inning brought home four more runs, as the Paladins manufactured their way to a 5-1 lead at the end of the fourth.

Two singles in the top of the sixth put runners at the corners with two outs for Arica Dykes, as she hit a chopper up the middle that split the defenders and scored Madeline Baker, pinch running, from third. That made the score 5-2 in the middle of the sixth, though Furman tacked on three more runs in the bottom half of the inning to pull ahead 8-2.

Samford was down to their final inning with the top of the order looking to get on base. Julianne Surane and Dickey led off the inning with consecutive singles, putting runners at the corners with nobody out. Alex Adams hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Surane, drawing the Bulldogs within five. Samford loaded the bases with two outs, but a high chopper to the shortstop ended the game, with Furman winning 8-3.

Game Two: Samford 4, Furman 2

The Bulldogs faced an early 2-0 deficit, but bounced back to earn 4-2 win in game two. Nicole Bobrowski (1-3) earned her first win of the season, pitching 5.0 innings, with Aldridge earning her second save of the season. The Bulldogs out-hit the Paladins 9-4, with Dickey and Harmon earning two hits each. Furman's Shelby Parker (4-4) earned the loss.

Furman's Natalie Clemmons, who hit a home run in game one, put Furman on the board in the bottom of the first with another solo home run, making the score 1-0. Back-to-back doubles leading off the bottom of the second plated another run for the Paladins, pushing them ahead 2-0.

Dickey led off the top of the fourth with her team-leading tenth double of the season and a groundout by Alex Adams to the right side moved her over to third. Harmon drove in Samford's first run of the game with a sharp single to center field, as Dickey crossed the plate to cut the Paladins' lead to 2-1. With two outs in the inning, Samford put two runners in scoring position but a groundout ended the scoring threat with Samford trailing by one run in the middle of the fourth.

Dykes led off the top of the fifth with a hard single that deflected off the pitcher and she eventually made it to third with two outs. On a 2-2 count, Dickey knocked a single into center field to bring Dykes home, tying the game at 2-2. Alex Adams followed that with a deep double to the left field gap, scoring Dickey to give Samford a 3-2 lead. Harmon added another run with a single that scored Adams from second, beating out a close play at the plate to put Samford up 4-2.

Aldridge entered as the relief pitcher in the bottom of the fifth, looking for her second save of the season. She and the defense did their job, as three scoreless innings secured Samford's 4-2 victory.

The series rubber match is tomorrow at noon CT.