Box Score TROY, Ala. – The Samford baseball team fell behind by seven runs in the first inning, but came back to earn an 11-9 win at Troy Tuesday evening at Riddle-Pace Field.
 
"What a great effort by our guys," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "To give up a seven spot in the first, and make an error to start the game, and to come back and win was big. Our guys had big hit after big hit with no give-up at all."  
 
After falling behind, 7-0, in the first inning, Samford outscored Troy, 11-2 over the final eight innings of the game. The win was the fifth-straight for Samford, and the Bulldogs improved to 7-4 so far this season. Troy drops to 7-6 with the loss.
 
Samford was led at the plate by Danny Rodriguez, going 4-for-5 with a double and four RBI. Caleb Bryson went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while T.J Dixon went 2-for-6 with two RBI for the Bulldogs.
 
Charles Terry (1-1) pitched one hitless inning in relief to earn the win on the mound for Samford. Andres Gracia pitched the final inning, allowing just one hit to pick up his fourth save of the season. Parker Curry, Gage Pregno, Mark Donham and Jared Brasher also saw time on the mound for Samford.
 
For Troy at the plate, Trevin Hall went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI. Garrett Pitts went 3-for-5 with an RBI, while Clay Holcomb went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Nick Masonia homered and drove in two runs in a 1-for-3 performance.
 
William Shell (0-1) pitched 2.2 innings in relief, giving up six runs on four hits to take the loss on the mound for the Trojans. Jesse Nelson, Marc Skinner and Jeremy McGowan also pitched for Troy.
 
Troy jumped on top early with seven runs in the bottom of the first inning. Masonia hit a two-run home run in the inning. Holcomb also drove in two runs in the inning, and Pitts and Tyler Vaughn drive in a run each. Hall also scored on a wild pitch, as the Trojans took an early 7-0 lead.
 
Samford came back with two runs in the top of the second inning to cut the Troy lead to 7-2. Bryson doubled to drive in Hunter Swilling for Samford's first run of the game. Rodriguez then singled to drive in Bryson to bring Samford to within five runs.
 
The Bulldogs added a run in the top of the third inning. Drew McWhorter singled to drive in Frankie Navarrete to cut the lead to 7-3.
 
Samford plated another run in the top of the fourth to make the score 7-4. Dixon doubled to drive in Jordan Wren to bring Samford to within three runs.
 
Troy came back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to push its lead to 9-4. Hall doubled to drive in Pitts and Masonia for a five-run Troy lead.
 
The Bulldogs got two runs back in the top of the fifth inning to cut the Troy lead to 9-6. Rodriguez singled to drive in Heath Quinn and Swilling for Samford's fifth and sixth runs of the game.
 
Samford took the lead with four runs in the top of the seventh inning. Rodriguez singled to drive in Swilling for the first run of the inning. Dixon later singled to drive in Bryson to make the score 9-8. Dixon and Rodriguez later scored on a Troy error to give Samford a 10-9 lead.
 
The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. Navarrete singled up the middle to drive in Rodriguez to give Samford an 11-9 lead.
 
Samford will play again Wednesday evening when the Bulldogs play host to Jacksonville State. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start from Joe Lee Griffin Field. The game can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.