FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)

SOFTBALL CONTINUES SOCON PLAY HOSTING WESTERN CAROLINA
Softball continues SoCon play this weekend, hosting Western Carolina in a three-game series.  Due to continued construction on the Samford Softball Stadium, the series will be played at UAB Softball Field.  The teams begin with a double-header on Saturday, March 23 beginning at 1 p.m. and conclude with a single game on Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m.

OPPONENT SCOUTING REPORT
Western Carolina (9-18, 1-5 SoCon) - The Catamounts have nine wins at the halfway point of the season, recently snapping a four-game losing streak with an 8-1 win over ETSU in game two of a double-header on Wednesday.  As a team, they are hitting .261 led by freshman Taylor Sigmon at .347 with 25 hits, four home runs and 14 RBI.  Junior Amelia Griffin is also hitting above .300, sitting at .308 with a team-leading 28 hits.  Sophomore Jordan Garrett (7-8, 2.94 ERA) is the anchor of the Catamount bullpen, throwing nine complete games  in 13 starts with 130 strikeouts over 104.2 innings of work.

ALL-TIME VERSUS WESTERN CAROLINA
The two teams have met 12 times with Samford holding the slight 7-5 edge in the series.  Samford won the first three series between the teams, sweeping the Catamounts in 2010 and winning two out of three in 2009 and 2011.  Western Carolina bounced back last season however, winning their first series against Samford by sweeping the Bulldogs in Cullowhee in the final regular-season series of the season.

'DOGS LIMITING STRIKEOUTS
At the halfway point of the season, Samford has shown good plate coverage, limiting their strikeouts.  Among all nine SoCon teams, Samford has the second-fewest strikeouts with 108.  Appalachian State leads the conference with only 92 strikeouts while the SoCon average is around 129.  Samford is +34 in the differential between strikeouts pitched (142) and strikeouts on offense (108), which is fourth in the SoCon only trailing Chattanooga (+48), UNCG (+62) and Western Carolina (+65).

SIX-GAME HIT STREAK BEST SO FAR THIS SEASON
Alex Adams' six-game hitting streak ended Wednesday, as she went 0-3 in the loss at Ole Miss.  The six-game streak was the longest hitting streak for any Bulldog this season, starting on the March 10 game at UNCG and going through the March 19 game at Memphis.  Three other Bulldogs have earned at least a five-game hit streak this season.  Caitlin Bice hit safely in five games from Feb. 24-March 3, Kayla Shaffer from Feb. 16-24 and Madison Dickey from March 10-20.

SAMFORD FALLS IN A PAIR OF MIDWEEK MATCHUPS
Samford played two out-of-conference games this past week, falling 3-1 to Memphis on Tuesday and 3-0 to Ole Miss on Wednesday.

Memphis jumped ahead 3-0 early after 3.0 innings and Samford cut the lead to two with an Abby Adams RBI double in the sixth inning.  With two outs in the top of the seventh, Callie Brister hit a hard double down the left-field line and Megan Dowdy reached off an error as the potential game-tying run.  However, they were ultimately stranded as a fly ball to center held up just enough for the third out.

Another late comeback fell short at Ole Miss on Wednesday, as the Bulldogs faced a 3-0 deficit heading into the final inning.  With two outs, Caitlin Bice and Caroline Wilder were both hit by a pitch to bring the potential game-tying run to the plate.  A strikeout ended the rally as the Bulldogs were ultimately defeated, 3-0.

WEEKEND WEATHER OUTLOOK
Saturday, March 23
Scattered Thunderstorms
High 62, Low 53

Sunday, March 24
Morning Thunderstorms
High 61, Low 37


UP NEXT
Next up, Samford will host Jacksonville State (16-11, 3-0 OVC) on Tuesday, March 26.  First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.