FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)

SOFTBALL TO OPEN NEW BALLPARK AGAINST MISSISSIPPI STATE
Samford will have its true home opener Tuesday, April 16 as they open the brand new Samford Softball Stadium with a 6 p.m. CT game against Mississippi State.

OPPONENT SCOUTING REPORT
Mississippi State (27-14, 6-9 SEC) - The Bulldogs are on a four-game winning streak after a series sweep over in-state rival Ole Miss last weekend, their first SEC series win so far this season.  They beat the Rebles by a combined score of 19-6 with senior Stephanie Becker (8-6) throwing a no-hitter in Sunday's series finale.  As a staff, the pitchers own a 2.47 team ERA, led by redshirt junior Alison Owen (14-6) with a 1.72 ERA over 142.2 innings of work with a stellar 16/1 K/BB ratio (191 strikeouts, 12 walks).  Offensively, juniors Sam Lenahan and Logan Foulks lead the everyday starters with .358 and .346 batting averages, respectively, and a combined 82 hits, 22 doubles, 20 home runs and 66 RBI.

ALL-TIME VERSUS MISSISSIPPI STATE
In this battle of the Bulldogs, Mississippi State holds a 14-2 all-time record against Samford.  Samford's first win in the series came in 2000, a 2-0 win in one of the final games of the regular season.  Mississippi State would win the next four contests before Samford earned another victory, a 3-0 shutout in 2007.  The teams have only met once since, an 11-5 loss for Samford in last season's home opener in Birmingham, Ala.

SAMFORD SOFTBALL STADIUM
Samford's new park should give the Bulldogs one of the finest facilities in the Southern Conference.  Along with a brand-new playing field and dugouts is a press box and concession stand with expanded bleachers.

Alongside the stadium is the J.T. Haywood Field House, which will serve both the softball and baseball programs.  The Field House will include a turf hitting facility, locker rooms and coaches offices.

SCOTT HAS STANDOUT WEEKEND
Despite an 0-2 record last weekend, Shelby Scott's two starts in the Georgia Southern series were some of her best so far this season.  She threw two complete games, combining for 12.0 innings of work with 11 strikeouts and only four earned runs.  Her six strikeouts in the final game of the series were a season high.  Heading into the series, she owned a 5.01 ERA, which dropped over 50 points to 4.45 after the weekend.

She also had a great series at the plate, knocking in three hits in eight at-bats, including her first home run of the season.  She was one of only two Bulldogs to earn more than one hit over the weekend with the other being Megan Dowdy, who went 3-9.  Scott is currently on a four-game hitting streak.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN SWEEPS SAMFORD IN STATESBORO
Samford's weekend series at Georgia Southern proved disappointing as the Bulldogs were swept by the defending conference champs 6-0, 4-2 and 1-0.

Samford would only earn one hit in the opening game and out-hit the home team, 5-4, in game two but a late comeback bid would fall just short.  Good outings in the circle from Sarah Purivs and Allie Miles gave Georgia Southern the edge as Georgia Southern took both games Saturday.

Game three was a pitcher's duel, with Shelby Scott and Brooke Red battling back-and-forth as neither offense could break through.  Finally, in the sixth inning, the Eagles got an RBI single to move up 1-0 and the Bulldogs were shut down in order in the top of the seventh as the home team held on for the series sweep.

SCHEDULE UPDATE
The previously scheduled doubleheader against Southern University on May 1 in Birmingham has been canceled.

TUESDAY WEATHER OUTLOOK
Birmingham, Ala.
High: 83, Low: 66
Mostly Cloudy, Isolated Afternoon Thunderstorms

UP NEXT
Samford will have a quick turnaround as they head to Atlanta, Ga., on Thursday, April 18 for a doubleheader against the Georgia State Panthers, set to start at 4 p.m. ET.  

This weekend, the Bulldogs will return home to host Elon in a three-game series, beginning with a 1 p.m. CT doubleheader on Saturday, April 20 and concluding with a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 21.