May 6, 2012

Box Score

CULLOWHEE, NC. ---- Sunday's game against Western Carolina was another tough loss for Samford, as the Bulldogs fell 4-3 to wrap up the weekend and the regular season. All three games in the series were decided by only one run.

Samford (13-40, 6-18 SoCon) out-hit the Catamounts, 10-8, with Robyn Harmon and Alex Adams each earning a pair of hits. Madison Dickey went 1-3 on the day, extending her hitting streak to a season-best nine games. Harmon (4-10) pitched 5.0 innings in the circle, allowing two earned runs on five hits. Western Carolina (23-33, 8-16 SoCon) was led offensively by Shemekia Scotton, who went 2-3 including the game-winning home run. Jordan Garrett (12-17) allowed the game-tying run in the top of the sixth but earned the win after the game-winning run in the bottom half of the inning, while starter Katie King reentered the game in the top of the seventh to earn the save.

The teams were scoreless through 3 1/2 innings until Erin Foster led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to give the Catamounts the first run of the game, moving them up 1-0. With runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, the Catamount batter struck out but would reach first and advance to second on a wild pitch that also allowed the runners to move up, scoring one and moving the other to third. They would follow that with an RBI single up the middle, scoring one and putting runners at the corners as they moved ahead 3-0. Samford got out of the inning with a double play and a lineout.

Samford led off the sixth inning with back-to-back singles and that ended the day for King in the circle, as Jordan Garrett entered the game to try and get them out of the jam. Garrett struck out the first batter, but Abby Adams reached on a fielder's choice in the next at bat, scoring Madeline Baker from second to make the score 3-1. Rachel Bickert singled to load the bases and Casey Clark followed with another single, moving everyone over one base to make the score 3-2. A strikeout put two outs on the board but good patience at the plate by Dickey led to a bases-loaded walk, which tied the game at 3-3. A lineout to center field limited the damage however, ending the half-inning with the teams tied.

The Catamounts didn't waste any time retaking the lead, as they led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer to move ahead 4-3. Samford put a runner on base in the top of the seventh, as Alex Adams led off the inning with a single, but the Bulldogs could not bring the runner home as Western Carolina held on for the 4-3 victory.

Samford will compete in the 2012 Southern Conference Tournament beginning Wednesday, May 6 in Boone, N.C. Seeding and game times will be announced tomorrow.