Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MEMPHIS, Tenn. ---- Samford started its weekend at the Blues City Classic strongly, earning two wins defeating Wright State, 4-2, and Southeast Missouri, 2-1, in extra innings.
 
Samford (5-5) was led at the plate Saturday by Megan Dowdy, who collected three hits in eight at-bats, adding an RBI in the Wright State game.  Madison Dickey failed to collect a hit in the Wright State game, ending her hitting streak at five games, though she had two RBI in the Wright State game and a triple in the SEMO game.
 
Mollie Hanson (4-4) added two wins to her record today, closing out the Wright State game and going the distance in the SEMO game.  The Bulldog bullpen only allowed one earned run today while striking out a combined 19 batters.
 
GAME ONE: Samford 4, Wright State 2
 
Samford's first game of the day against Wright State (1-8) was not a particularly efficient win, with both teams committing a combined six errors, but a clutch two-run rally in the top of the seventh ultimately gave the Bulldogs the edge over the Raiders.
 
All three of Samford's pitchers saw time in the game, with Mollie Hanson earning the win after pitching 1.1 shutout innings to close out the game.  At the plate, the Bulldogs were led by Dowdy and Alex Adams, who both went 2-4 while Dickey drove in two of the Bulldogs' four runs.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, back-to-back singles with one out gave the Raiders their first serious scoring threat, ending the outing for starter Misha Aldridge in the circle.  Shelby Scott came in relief and walked the next batter, loading the bases with just one out.  Scott regrouped quickly and got the Bulldogs out of the jam, striking out the next two batters to leave three stranded and keep the game scoreless.
 
In the top of the fifth, Rachel Bickert pinch-hit to lead off the inning and knocked a double into center field.  Abby Adams re-entered the game to run for Bickert and, with one out in the inning, Hannah Taylor came in as a pinch-hitter and brought Adams home with an RBI single to left field, though she was tagged out trying to advance on the throw.  A groundout ended the inning but the Bulldogs now had the lead, 1-0, over Wright State.
 
Samford added another run in the top of the sixth off a double steal, as Kayla Shaffer stole second and Madeline Baker, pinch-running for Alex Adams, stole home to put Samford up 2-0.
 
Wright State threatened in the bottom half of the sixth, as the leadoff batter reached off an error, eventually advancing to third as they had runners at the corners with two away.  The runner at first stole second and the next batter reached off a fielding error, scoring one to put runners at the corners with two away.  A single then brought home the game-tying run, which ended the day for Scott as Hanson entered looking to stop the scoring rally.  Hanson struck out the final batter of the inning to limit the damage, though the score was now tied, 2-2, heading into the seventh inning.
 
Abby Adams was put on base as the potential go-ahead run in the top of the seventh, hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.  Caroline Wilder reached off an error and Adams advanced all the way to third to put runners at the corners with nobody out.  Arica Dykes singled into center field, advancing Wilder to second but Adams was held at third as the bases were now loaded with nobody out as the Bulldogs turned to the top of the batting order.  Dowdy dropped a single into right field to move everyone up a base, scoring the go-ahead run as Samford now led 3-2.  Dickey flew out to left field, scoring another off the sacrifice fly, and a double-play ball ended the inning with the Bulldogs holding the 4-2 lead heading into the final half-inning.
 
Wright State would put a runner on first in the final half-inning but Hanson would strike out the final batter to secure the 4-2 victory for Samford.
 
GAME TWO: Samford 2, SEMO 1 (8 innings)
 
In their second game of the day, Samford edged out SEMO (3-4) in a 2-1 pitcher's duel that stretched to extra innings.  Hanson earned her fourth win of the season going the distance in the circle, throwing 8.0 innings with 13 strikeouts.  Six different Bulldogs collected a hit in the win, with Alex Adams and Kayla Shaffer driving in the Bulldogs' two runs.
 
The Samford bats were working early as Dickey started things off with a one-out triple in the top of the first.  Alex Adams reached on a fielder's choice as Dickey was tagged out at home and Kayla Shaffer brought Adams home with an RBI double into left field.  A groundout ended the inning with the Bulldogs holding the early one-run lead.
 
The Redhawk offense was equally as efficient in the bottom half of the first, as a one-out RBI double to the right-field gap tied the game at 1-1 at put two runners in scoring position.  Hanson limited the damage to one run however, striking out the remaining two batters to end the inning with the score 1-1.
 
After scoring in the first inning, neither offense could regain the momentum as pitching dominated for most of the game.  In the top of the seventh, Callie Brister came in to pinch hit and singled with two outs and Aldridge, also pinch-hitting, singled to left field to put the potential go-ahead run into scoring position.  A groundout ended the inning and Hanson shut down the Redhawks in the bottom half of the inning as the teams headed to extra innings tied at 1-1.
 
With Dowdy placed at second to start extra innings, she was moved to third on a groundout and was scored off a sacrifice fly by Alex Adams, putting Samford up 2-1 in the top of the eighth.  With a runner placed on second, the SEMO leadoff hitter reached on an infield single to put runners at the corners with nobody out.  A huge double play put two away, as the batter grounded out to second and then the runner at third was tagged out at home, leaving a runner at second with two away.  Another groundout ended the game as Samford came away with the one-run extra inning victory.
 
Samford continues play at the Memphis Tournament tomorrow, playing Wichita State at 9 a.m. CT and Belmont at 2:30 p.m. CT.