The Bulldogs are set take on the Tigers of Auburn University on day one of the Wilson/DeMarini Classic hosted by Auburn at Jane B. Moore Field.  AU holds a firm 13-5 overall record over SU and the last time Samford took down Auburn was on Feb. 11, 2003 in the Bulldogs season opener.

QUICK HITTERS

The Bulldogs take on the Tigers of Auburn University to open play in the Wilson/DeMarini Classic hosted by Auburn at Jane B. Moore Field.  AU holds a firm 13-5 overall record over SU and the last time Samford took down Auburn was on Feb. 11, 2003 in the Bulldogs season opener.

Samford will face Mississippi Valley State University twice while at the Wilson/DeMarini Classic with first pitch slated at 11 a.m. in game one on Saturday, Feb. 22, and 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23. The Bulldogs currently hold a slim 3-2 record over the Delta Devilettes with MVSU taking the last two contests over SU; the latest was a 6-4 decision in Birmingham,  Ala. on March 13, 2012.

The final opponent the Bulldogs will face this weekend will be the Purdue University Boilermakers. This will be the second time in history that Samford and Purdue will have met on the diamond. Saturday, Feb. 22,  will mark nine years to the day when the last time these two teams faced off; the last contest resulted in a 5-0 shutout in favor of the Boilermakers.

Sophomore Megan Dowdy continues to lead the way for the Bulldogs at the plate as she has yet to strikeout on the year through 37 at bats. Dowdy is currently hitting .351 with seven RBIs and seven runs scored along with a team-high eight stolen bases.

In head coach Mandy Burford's third year, the Bulldogs are off to its best start in the program's 27-year history.

ON DECK

Samford softball continues play on the road with a trip to Murfreesboro, Tenn. to take on Middle Tennessee State University for a doubleheader on Wednesday, Feb.  25, at 1:30 p.m.

"AA" BATTERY
Sophomore Abby Adams opened the season in the best possible way for the Bulldogs. The Hobart, Ind. native ranks second on the team leaderboard with 12 RBIs and leads the team with five home runs. Adams is coming off of a 4-for-7 performance with two home runs against Austin Peay on Feb. 19.

HANSON'S HEAT
Junior Mollie Hanson picked up where she left off last season notching a 5-2 record so far this season  The Dothan, Ala. native has pitched a total of 33.2 innings with 41 strikeouts and only seven walks through four starts.  Hanson currently holds a 2.94 ERA.

THE 9 HOLE
Freshman second baseman Abbie Miranda has proven her worth in the bottom of the batting order for head coach Mandy Burford.  The Vestavia Hills, Ala. native has provided production at the plate in some way every game this season. Miranda 9-of-25 (.360) at the plate has scored 10 runs,  sent in six RBIs,  three home runs and two stolen bases to start the season.

Miranda's best outing came on Feb. 07, against Mercer where she went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a solo home run in a 9-8 victory over the Bears.

DICKEY REBOUNDS WITH STELLAR NIGHT
Junior Madison Dickey wanted to put the 2013 season behind her after a devastating season-ending knee injury  on Feb. 23 against SEMO.  The Hoover, Ala. native played in all 56 games her freshman season and started in the first 10 of her sophomore year before going down.

On Feb. 19, in a doubleheader against Austin Peay, Dickey went 3-for-4 at the plate smashing two doubles with 3 RBIs, two runs scored.

On the season Dickey ranks third on the team in runs scored with eight and leads the team in walks with four.

GREY MATTERs
Freshman Grey Adams was introduced to the collegiate softball realm on Feb. 08,  against Florida A&M where she tossed a complete-game. The Fairhope, Ala. native only gave up four hits and two earned runs while striking out four and only two walks to pick up her first career victory.

Adams through three starts holds a 2-0 record with 18 strike outs and eight walks through 20.1 innings pitched.

SOPHOMORE SENSATIONS
A trio of sophomores have picked up where they left off in their freshman campaigns. Caitlin Bice, Callie Brister and Hannah Taylor all have contributed to the Bulldogs in a significant way again this season.

Bice is currently 8-for-25 (.320) at the plate with a double,  a triple, three walks,  two RBIs and four runs scored.

Taylor is 7-for-25 (.280) with a home run, six RBIs, four runs scored and has an OBP of .357 and is slugging .400.

Brister has the best production out of the trio right now hitting 8-of-33 (.242) with 13 RBIs, six runs scored, three walks, a double and three home runs. The Tuscaloosa, Ala. natives best game so far came on Feb. 14, against Belmont University where she went 2-for-4 with two home runs and tied her career high of four RBIs.

BULLDOGS TABBED TO FINISH 6TH in SoCon
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Georgia Southern Eagles have been voted the preseason favorite to win the 2014 Southern Conference softball championships in voting conducted by the league's head coaches. UNCG sophomore Lindsay Thomas was named the preseason Player of the Year while Georgia Southern senior Sarah Purvis was named the preseason Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season.

Georgia Southern, last season's tournament champion, tallied seven first-place votes for a total of 49 points. Purvis, last season's SoCon Pitcher of the Year, was named first-team preseason all-conference, along with teammate Kourtny Thomas. The Eagles totaled three all-conference team selections.

UNCG earned 40 points to take second place. Thomas, who was last season's Freshman of the Year, was one of five Spartans selected to the preseason all-conference teams, which were the most of any team. Appalachian State, last year's regular-season champion, received the final first-place vote and 35 points to earn the No. 3 spot. The Mountaineers placed a pair of players on the all-conference squads.

Chattanooga was picked fourth, receiving 31 points, followed by Furman and Samford, who earned 24 and 20 points, respectively. Elon was picked to finished seventh with 14 points and Western Carolina earned 11 points to take the eighth spot.

The 2014 Southern Conference Softball Championship is scheduled for May 7-10 in Greensboro, N.C.

2014 SoCon Preseason Poll

	Team (First Place Votes)	Points
1.	Georgia Southern (7)	49
2.	UNCG	40
3.	Appalachian State (1)	35
4.	Chattanooga	31
5.	Furman	24
6.	Samford	20
7.	Elon	14
8.	Western Carolina	11