May 16, 2012

Game Notes

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford baseball team will travel to Norman, Okla., to take on the 24th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in a three-game series, beginning Thursday evening. The teams will play Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m.

The Bulldogs enter the series with some momentum. Samford upset the third-ranked Florida Gators, 12-7, Tuesday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Samford enters the series with a record of 34-19 overall and 19-11 in SoCon play.

Samford is led at the plate by Saxon Butler, batting .346 with 11 home runs and 51 RBI. C.K. Irby is batting .341, while Phillip Ervin is batting .340 for the Bulldogs. Brandon Miller, who hit two home runs in the win over Florida, currently leads the nation in home runs with a school-record 20 so far this season.

Samford has listed senior right-handed pitcher Josh Martin (10-1, 3.06 ERA) as its starting pitcher for Thursday night's series-opener. Senior right-hander Charles Basford (8-1, 3.86 ERA) will start Friday night's contest, while junior left-hander Lex Rutledge (1-3, 6.82 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday's series finale.

The Sooners are currently 33-20 overall and 13-10 in Big 12 play. Oklahoma lost to TCU, 1-0, Tuesday evening.

Oklahoma is led at the plate by Max White, batting .343 with two home runs and 50 RBI. Matt Oberste is batting .307. Hunter Lockwood leads the Sooners in home runs with nine.

The Sooners have listed Jordan John (8-5, 2.23 ERA) as the team's starting pitcher for Thursday night's game. Jonathan Gray (6-4, 3.67 ERA) will start Friday night's game for the Sooners, and Oklahoma has not listed a starter for Saturday's series finale.

The series will mark Samford's first meeting, not only with Oklahoma, but with any Big 12 opponent.

All three games can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu. Fans can also follow the games online via GameTracker at www.samfordsports.com.