Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- Samford had the potential go-ahead run on base late in both of Saturday's games versus the College of Charleston but ultimately could not capitalize on the scoring opportunities in either, falling 3-2 in extra innings in game one and 4-2 in game two.
 
Samford (10-22, 2-9 SoCon) would earn plenty of hits, combining for 14 between the two games, but seemingly could not get them to fall in key situations.  Callie Brister, Rachel Bickert and Caitlin Bice would each earn at least one hit in both games, while Megan Dowdy led the team with two RBI on the day.  Alex Adams failed to earn a hit in either game, ending her hitting streak at six games.  This is the second time this season she has earned a six-game hit streak, which is the longest such streak for any Bulldog this season.
 
The College of Charleston (19-15, 8-5 SoCon) relied on solid pitching performances and clutch hitting out of the top of their lineup.  The top four in the Cougar batting order accounted for eight of their 14 hits, led by Ashton Jarrett in the two-hole with a 3-8 performance.
 
GAME ONE: COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 3, SAMFORD 2 (9 INNINGS)
 
The Cougars jumped ahead to an early 2-0 lead in game one and the Bulldogs fought back, forcing extra innings, but a ninth-inning error led to a sacrifice fly which ultimately made the difference in the one-run loss.  Both pitchers went the distance, with Hope Klicker (4-2) earning her fourth win of the season while Caitlin Bice (0-3) took the hard-luck loss in the circle, as only one of the three runs allowed was earned.
 
The College of Charleston would strike first in the top of the second inning, taking advantage of an infield error with a runner at third to move ahead 1-0 off the unearned run.  A leadoff walk in the top of the fourth would come back to bite the Bulldogs as she ultimately scored off a Rebecca Mueller double to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.
 
Samford cut the deficit in the bottom-half of the inning, as back-to-back errors led to an unearned run with two away in the inning.  A single by Bice would put two in scoring position but the rally was stopped on a lineout to the Cougar third baseman as Samford now trailed 2-1.
 
Samford tied it in the bottom of the sixth thanks to some heads-up base running by Arica Dykes, who rounded third and broke for home off an infield single to the left side by Rachel Bickert after the Charleston defender threw it to first looking for the putout.  Both teams went down in order in the seventh, forcing extra innings.
 
Samford would get two on base in the bottom of the eighth, but two tough called strikeouts and a fly ball to center would give Charleston another chance.  In the top of the ninth, a single and a throwing error had runners at the corners with nobody out for the Cougars and Allison Pedigo gave them the lead with a sacrifice fly to left field.  Samford went three up, three down in the bottom half of the inning as the visitors held on for the slim 3-2 victory.
 
GAME TWO: COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 4, SAMFORD 2
 
Samford would be the first to score in game two, holding onto the lead until the College of Charleston broke through in the sixth inning and took a 4-2 lead, which proved final.  The teams combined for 19 hits with three Bulldogs earning multi-hit games, including a 3-4 performance by Dowdy.  Stephanie Saylors (4-0) earned the complete-game victory for the Cougars while Misha Aldridge (2-4) took the loss for Samford, throwing 5.2 innings.
 
Dowdy led off the bottom of the first with a single and would earn her second hit of the game in the bottom of the second, scoring Abby Adams and Kayla Shaffer off a clutch two-run double on a full count with two outs in the inning.
 
The College of Charleston would cut the lead in half with an RBI single in the top of the third but the Bulldogs would hold onto the slim lead through the fifth inning.  In the top of the sixth with runners at the corners, Aldridge knocked down what looked to be a single, catching the Cougar runner in a rundown at third breaking for home as Alex Adams ultimately tagged her for a key second out in the inning.  The visitors would tie it on the next at-bat as Lizzy Vaughn hit an RBI single up the middle and Ashton Jarrett would give them the lead as she dropped a single just past the infield dirt at third which kicked hard into foul territory, scoring two to make it a 4-2 ballgame.  That ended the day for Aldridge in the circle as Shelby Scott came in and struck out the final batter, but the Bulldogs were now trailing through 5 1/2 innings.
 
In both the sixth and seventh innings, the Bulldogs would strand two runners in scoring position as they could not capitalize on the opportunities, falling 4-2.
 
The series finale is set for a 1 p.m. CT first pitch on Sunday, April 7 at Birmingham Southern Softball Field.