FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)

'DOGS TO HOST COUGARS IN WEEKEND SOCON SERIES
Samford softball will play its fourth conference series of the 2013 season as they host the College of Charleston this weekend.  With construction continuing at Samford Softball Stadium, the teams will play the three-game series at Birmingham Southern College.  A doubleheader on Saturday, April 6 is set for a 1 p.m. CT start and game three will be on Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m.

OPPONENT SCOUTING REPORT
College of Charleston (17-15, 6-5 SoCon) - The Cougars moved their record above .500 and snapped a four-game losing streak with a doubleheader sweep over Canisius on Tuesday.  Last year's SoCon Tournament runner-up started the conference season strongly this year, winning their first five SoCon games before falling in four of their last five, with a sixth game against Georgia Southern canceled due to weather.  Charleston's returning aces on the mound, sophomore Hope Klicker (19-17, 3.07 ERA) and senior Stephanie Saylors (7-6, 4.68 ERA) haven't matched their numbers from last season but are doing enough to keep the team in games.  At the plate, junior Kelsey Hodgson leads the team and is a top-ten hitter in the SoCon with a .364 average and 32 hits with nine doubles, 10 home runs and 27 RBI.

ALL-TIME VERSUS COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON
The Cougars hold the slight all-time edge over the Bulldogs, 6-8 in 14 contests.  The two teams have traded series back-and-forth since becoming conference foes in 2009, with Samford winning in 2009 and 2011 while the College of Charleston won in 2010 and 2012.  They have met twice in poststeason play, with the Bulldogs winning 6-1 in 2010 while the Cougars won 8-5 in 2011.

WARMER WEATHER BRINGS BATS TO LIFE
Traditional wisdom states that warmer weather shows an increase in power numbers, and Samford is supporting the trend.  Samford hit nine home runs in 17 games during the month of March, as opposed to only one over February's 13 games.  Samford increased its slugging percentage by 40 points, slugging .323 in March and .283 in February.

The team's fly ball to ground ball ratio improved significantly as well.  In February, the Bulldogs had 76 fly balls as opposed to 115 grounders, a .7 ratio, while they just about broke even in March with 119 fly balls and 121 ground balls.

BREAKOUT MONTH FOR ALEX ADAMS
With a pair of hits in the LSU doubleheader last weekend, Alex Adams stretched her hit streak to six games for the second time this month.  She has now hit safely in 12 of the last 13 games, capping off a breakout month at the plate.  The redshirt senior, who only hit .184 during the month of February, led the team in March with a .373 average and 19 hits, three doubles and 10 RBI.  She was tied for second on the team during the month with two homers, only trailing freshman Callie Brister with three.

SCHEDULE CHANGE: GEORGIA STATE APRIL 18
Samford's road game on Thursday, April 18 at Georgia State will now be a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. ET instead of a single game, as was previously scheduled.

'DOGS FALL IN DOUBLEHEADER AT #12 LSU
Samford had a weekend off from conference play, facing #12 LSU in a Saturday doubleheader.  The Bulldogs held on in a 4-0 loss in game one but the potent LSU offense flexed its muscle in game two, winning 8-0 in six innings.
 
Samford would struggle in both games against a formidable LSU bullpen, only earning a combined five hits with 18 strikeouts.  Megan Dowdy and Alex Adams earned a hit in each of Saturday's games, while A.J. Andrews led the LSU lineup, going a combined 3-5 with two RBI.

Rachele Fico (17-5) led the way for LSU with a standout performance in the circle in game one, retiring 16-straight Bulldogs and allowing only two hits en route to the shutout victory.  The top four in LSU's order each earned a hit while the top three each drove in a run.
 
Shelby Scott (1-8) allowed the game's opening run off a bases-loaded walk, taking the tough loss while Caitlin Bice threw 4.2 relief innings with three earned runs crossing the plate.

Ashley Czechner (8-0) threw 5.0 shutout innings for LSU behind a potent offense to earn the run-rule win in game two.  A.J. Andrews and Bianka Bell earned a pair of hits with Bell driving in three of LSU's eight runs.
 
Samford's starter was roughed up early in game two as well, with Misha Aldridge (2-3) taking the loss while allowing five runs, four earned, over the opening 1.1 innings.  Bice made a second-straight relief appearance, throwing 4.1 innings with three runs, two earned, off six hits.

WEEKEND WEATHER OUTLOOK
Saturday, April 6: Mostly Sunny.  High 73, Low 49
Sunday, April 7: Partly Cloudy.  High 74, Low 56

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will head to Bowling Green, Ky., for a midweek dobuleheader against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers on Wednesday, April 10.  First pitch in game one is set for 5 p.m. CT.