Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford opened the brand new Samford Softball Stadium Tuesday night against Mississippi State, though the visiting Bulldogs spoiled the occasion as they defeated Samford 13-1 in five innings.
 
Samford (11-28) threw three different pitchers in the game, though none could find an answer to a potent Mississippi State (27-14) offense that tallied 12 hits, including three home runs, and drew nine walks.  Shelby Scott (2-11) took the loss in the circle but knocked in Samford's only hit of the game, an RBI single in the bottom of the first that extends her hitting streak to five games.  Birmingham native Jessica Cooley had a great homecoming, going 3-3 at the plate for Mississippi State with two home runs and six RBI.
 
The visitors would strike quickly, as a leadoff single and a Cooley home run made it a 2-0 ball game.  Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first, Scott would cut the deficit in half with a hit that dropped in shallow left field to score Callie Brister from second as it was now a 2-1 game.
 
The visitors would not let up from that point on, as they scored 11 runs over the next 4.0 innings, including a big six-run third with home runs by Cooley and Julia Echols.  Two hitless innings from Owen in the circle and 2.0 perfect innings from Kylie Vry would seal Samford's fate as they fell, 13-1, in five innings.
 
Next up, the Bulldogs head to Atlanta, Ga., for a doubleheader against the Georgia State Panthers (27-16) on Thursday, April 18.  First pitch of game one is set for 4 p.m. ET.