Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford baseball team dropped a 7-1 decision to Western Carolina in the final game of a three-game Southern Conference series Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
The game was completed after a three hour and 26-minute rain delay in the top of the fourth inning. With the loss, Samford drops to 26-18 overall and 10-8 in Southern Conference play. Western Carolina improves to 28-14 overall and 13-4 in SoCon play. WCU wins the series over Samford, two games to one.
 
"This was a tough loss today," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "I thought their guy, Jordan Smith was phenomenal today. We never could get in rhythm against him. He's been their best guy for a while. We could've played better, but the story was, he was just better than us today."
 
Western Carolina's Jordan Smith (7-3) pitched 8.0 strong inning, giving up one unearned run on five hits to earn the win on the mound for the Catamounts. Smith struck out six batters, while allowing just one walk.
 
Samford's Cole Limbaugh (1-1) pitched 3.0 innings, giving up three runs, just two earned, on two hits. Limbaugh struck out four batters without allowing a walk. Patrick McGavin, Mark Donham, Gage Pregno, Mikel Belcher and Andres Gracia also saw time on the mound for Samford.
 
For the Bulldogs at the plate, Tripp Martin went 2-for-3 to lead the team. Caleb Bryson drove in Samford's lone run in the contest, going 1-for-4 at the plate.
 
Western Carolina was led offensively by Jacob Hoyle, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI. Luke Gragg drove in two runs in a 1-for-4 performance. Bradley Strong also homered for the Catamounts, going 1-for-5 with an RBI.
 
The Catamounts struck first, plating a run in the top of the second inning. Hoyle led the inning off with a home run to right field for a 1-0 Western Carolina lead.
 
Western Carolina added two runs in the top of the fourth inning to make the score 3-0. Adam Martin reached base on an error, and Hoyle singled through the right side of the infield to start the inning. The game then went into the three hour and 26-minute rain delay. When play resumed, Dykota Spiess was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Gragg then doubled to right field to drive in Hoyle and Martin for a three-run Western Carolina lead.
 
Samford plated its run in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two out in the inning, Heath Quinn reached base on an infield single, and advanced to second base on an error. Bryson then singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Quinn to make the score 3-1.
 
Western Carolina plated another run in the top of the fifth inning to make the score 4-1. Cody Jones reached base on an infield single to start the inning. Jones later scored on a Samford error for a three-run Catamount lead.
 
The Catamounts added two runs in the seventh inning and another run in the eighth to make the final score 7-1. In the seventh inning, Hoyle hit a two-run homer with Martin on base. In the eighth inning, with one out in the inning, Strong hit a solo home run for the game's final run.
 
Samford will return to action on Tuesday, April 29, when the Bulldogs host the University of Alabama. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start from Joe Lee Griffin Field.