Box Score ELON, N.C.— Elon's Chris King hit a two-run pinch-hit single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Phoenix baseball team an 8-7 win over Samford in the second game of a three-game Southern Conference series Saturday afternoon at Latham Park.
 
With the win, Elon secures the series win over Samford. Elon improves to 27-26 overall and 18-10 in Southern Conference play. Samford falls to 25-26 overall and 10-15 in SoCon games.
 
Entering the top of the ninth inning, Samford trailed Elon, 6-4. The Bulldogs plated three runs in the top of the ninth inning to take a 7-6 lead. Zeth Stone, Phillip Ervin and C.K. Irby led the inning off with three-straight singles to load the bases. Christiaan Durdaller then singled up the middle to drive in Stone and Ervin to tie the score.
 
Durdaller then moved to second base and Irby to third on a sacrifice bunt by Patrick McGavin. Drew McWhorter then struck out swinging, but the ball got away from Elon catcher Alex Swim and when Swim threw McWhorter out at first base, Irby was able to score from third base to give Samford the lead.
 
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Samford closer Arthur Strauss came in to close out the game for the Bulldogs. Ryan Kinsella and Joey Tomko drew walks to start the inning. After both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt, Swim was intentionally walked to load the bases. King then singled down the left-field line, driving in Kinsella and Tomko to give the Phoenix the 8-7, walk-off win.
 
For the game, Samford was led at the plate by Irby, going 3-for-5. Durdaller went 2-for-5 with two RBI, while McGavin went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Ervin went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Bulldogs. Strauss (0-1) took the loss on the mound for Samford. Eric Wright and Andres Gracia also saw time on the mound for Samford.
 
Elon was led at the plate by Swim, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Tyler McVicar went 2-for-4 with a home run and one RBI. Ryan Pennell (1-2) pitched the final inning to earn the win on the mound for Elon. Kyle Webb and Jacob Baker also pitched for the Phoenix.
 
Samford jumped on top first with two runs in the top of the first inning. With one out in the inning, Ervin walked and Irby singled to right field, moving Ervin to third base. After Irby moved to second base on a wild pitch, McGavin singled up the middle with two outs to drive in Ervin and Irby for a 2-0 Samford lead.
 
Elon came back with four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-2 lead. Quinn Bower walked, Sebastian Gomez singled and Kinsella was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Bower scored the first run of the inning on a balk. Gomez then scored when Tomko reached base on an error to tie the score. With one out, Alex Swim singled up the middle to drive in Kinsella and Tomko to give the Phoenix a two-run lead.
 
Samford scored a run in the top of the third inning to cut the Elon lead to 4-3. Ervin was hit by a pitch, and Irby and Durdaller singled to load the bases with no outs. After back-to-back outs, Jared Watson was hit by pitch to drive in Ervin and bring Samford to within one run.
 
The Bulldogs tied the score with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Austin Allison singled to lead off the inning. Allison then stole second base on and moved to third base on a ground out by Stone. Ervin then singled to drive in Allison to make the score 4-4.
 
Elon took the lead again with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. McVicar led the inning off with a home run to center field to give Elon a 5-4 lead. Swim then singled. With one out, Wil Leathers doubled to drive in Swim for a 6-4 Phoenix lead.
 
Samford and Elon will conclude their series with a game Sunday at 12:30 p.m. (CT). The game can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu. Live stats will also be available through links on the baseball schedule page at www.samfordsports.com.