May 14, 2012
Game Notes
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -
The Samford baseball team will play host to the third-ranked Florida Gators in the Bulldogs' final home game of the 2012 season Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
The Bulldogs enter the week with a record of 33-19 overall and 19-11 in Southern Conference play. Samford lost two-of-three games against Appalachian State over the weekend.
Samford is led at the plate by Saxon Butler, batting .343 with 11 home runs and 49 RBI. C.K. Irby is batting .339, while both Zeth Stone and Phillip Ervin are batting .336 for the Bulldogs. Brandon Miller is tied for the national lead in home runs with 18.
Irby, a sophomore right-handed pitcher and designated hitter, has been named Samford's starting pitcher for Tuesday night's game. Irby enters the game with a record of 3-1, and an ERA of 1.78.
The Gators are currently 38-14 overall and 16-11 in the Southeastern Conference. Florida won two-of-three games from Mississippi State over the weekend.
Florida is led at the plate by Daniel Pigott, batting .327 with seven home runs and 37 RBI. Mike Zunino is batting .321 with a team-high 13 home runs and 46 RBI. Brian Johnson is batting .315 with five homers and 32 RBI. Preston Tucker has hit 12 home runs and driven in 38 runs. Florida has not named a starting pitcher for Tuesday night's game.
Samford and Florida will be meeting for the fifth time, with Florida holding a 4-0 advantage in the series. The teams met earlier this season, with then-top-ranked Florida coming away with a 5-3 win over Samford on March 20, in Gainesville, Fla.
The game marks the first time in the Casey Dunn era (2005-Present) that Samford has hosted a top-five ranked opponent.
Prior to Tuesday night's game, the Samford soccer team will receive its Southern Conference championship rings. The soccer team won both the regular-season and tournament championship and earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the third time in program history.
Tuesday night's game can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu. The game can also be viewed online on the Bulldog Big Screen at www.samfordsports.com. Fans can also follow the game online via GameTracker at www.samfordsports.com.
