GAME NOTES: Games 1 & 2 Mercer Tournament (02.07.14)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University softball team opens the 2014 season traveling to Macon, Ga. to participate in the Mercer Tournament hosted by Mercer University. The Bulldogs open play on Friday, Feb. 07, at 11 a.m. ET facing Eastern Kentucky University then will turn around to face the host institution Mercer at 3:30 p.m. ET.

ON DECK

SU enters the contest against Eastern Kentucky Universty on Friday, Feb. 7 with an overall 8-12 record against the Coloniels. The last time these two teams collided it was during the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament; the Bulldogs came out with an 8-6 victory over EKU in the opening round.

Samford faces Mercer for the 56th time in the two school's history. The Bulldogs hold a 29-26 advantantage in the all-time series over the Bears. The last outing between the two teams on March 10, 2011 resulted in a tough 6-8 loss in extra innings.

The Bulldogs enter the 2014 season tabbed to finish sixth in the SoCon according to preseason rankings within the league. Samford only loses three letterwinners from last year's squad and looks to continue to build off of the rising success of third year Head Coach Mandy Burford.

Arica Dykes is the lone senior on this year's Bulldog squad and her verteran leadership will provide a crucial role into this team's success. The Newton, Ala. native has a combined 103 starts in 140 appearances for SU. Dykes looks to build on her legacy and close out her final year strong.

Junior pitcher Mollie Hanson earned SoCon Second Team preseason honors after a solid 2013 campaign. The Dothan, Ala. native posted a blistering 1.76 era with seven wins in 16 total appearances last season with 102 strikeouts. Hanson's best performance since transfering in from Shelton State Community College was her complete game no-hitter against UNCG on March 10, going the distance of seven innings with eight strikeouts.

The Samford offense, still in its youth brings, back 70% (95) of its run production, 79% (100) of its rbi total and 63% (180) of its hitting power from the 2013 season.

ON DECK

Samford continues play in the Mercer Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 8 to take on the Florida A&M Rattlers at 10 a.m. ET then turn around to play a team that has yet to be determined at 2:30 p.m. ET. Check with SamfordSports.com for up-to-date game recaps and previews of upcoming opponents.

ADAMS TO ANCHOR MIDDLE INFIELD
Junior Abby Adams has been a mainstay for the Bulldogs middle infield the past two seasons. The Hobart, Ind. native has a combined 107 starts in 108 appearances with a career batting average of .247 with 35 runs and 34 rbi. The talented infielder has proven to have a solid glove fielding .938 in her career.

HANSON'S HEAT
Junior flamethrower Mollie Hanson looks to build off of her excellent debut season as a Bulldog. The Shelton State transfer ended the year with a 1.76 era and a complete game no-hitter against UNCG on March 10. The Dothan, Ala. native struck out an outstanding 102 batters while only allowing 16 walks in 83.2 innings pitched last season.

Dickey Looking to Rebound
Junior Madison Dickey wants 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. Dickey's bat will bring a big boost to the Bulldogs lineup as she has a career .539 slugging percentage with 31 runs and 34 rbi, which 28 of both of those came during her freshman season.

Sophomore Sensations
Megan Dowdy, Caroline Wilder and Callie Brister all played significant roles for the Bulldogs during the 2013 season as freshmen.The now sophomores each started at least 48 of the 52 games last year and all three look to contribute again this year.

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.

Elon, Furman and Chattanooga each placed four players on the all-conference team, while Western Carolina and Samford each had one player make the preseason all-conference roster.

The season begins Thursday, Feb. 6, with Appalachian State competing in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

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

2014 SoCon Preseason Team
Preseason Player of the Year
Lindsay Thomas, Catcher, UNCG

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Sarah Purvis, Georgia Southern

Preseason First-Team All-Conference
P     Sarah Purvis, Georgia Southern
P     Raeanne Hanks, UNCG
C     Lindsay Thomas, UNCG
1B     Lindsay Loudermilk, Appalachian State
2B     Taylor Jenkins, Furman
SS     Kourtny Thomas, Georgia Southern
3B     Sarah Beth Roberts, Chattanooga
OF     Carleigh Nester, Elon
OF     Allison Geiner, UNCG
OF     Sam Taylor, Chattanooga
DP     Katelyn Bedwell, UNCG
UT     Emily Cameron, Elon

Preseason Second-Team All-Conference
P     Lauren Collier, Furman
P     Mollie Hanson, Samford
C     Sarah Warnock, Appalachian State
1B     Taylor Sigmon, Western Carolina
2B     Lauren Oldham, Elon
SS     Alyssa Taylor, Chattanooga
3B     Johanna Spencer, Elon
OF     Ambree Muller, Furman
OF     Nikki Legg, Furman
OF     Tatiana Alcala
OF     Stephanie Rieck, Chattanooga
DP     Shelby Morrill, Georgia Southern