BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford University softball team used a big nine-run first inning to propel itself to a 12-8 victory over Garder-Webb University on Friday, Feb. 13, on the first day of the Samford Classic.
The Bulldogs opened the contest down 2-0 after GWU plated two runs on starting pitcher
Jessica Stone (1-0). Stone issued a walk to Kellie Beres and she capitalized on the free base offering to steal second.
Megan Gibbons reached first for Gardner-Webb on a strikeout wild pitch to put runners at first and third with no outs. A double by Scarlett Harris plated the Runnin' Bulldogs first run of the game while Amanda Gomes plated the second on a sacrifice fly to
Megan Dowdy in center field.
Samford bounced back in a big way after the team rallied to score nine runs on five hits and three errors to take the lead 9-2.
Junior
Caroline Wilder put Samford back out in front 3-2 after she belted a three-run home run that scored fellow junior
Megan Dowdy and freshman
Shelby Maze.
SU kept rolling in the inning to score six more runs thanks to RBI hits from senior
Caroline Seay, sophomore
Abbie Miranda and Maze.
Stone settled down to pitch five and two thirds quality innings before Gardner-Webb forced her from the circle. Gibbons hit a three-run homerun over the big wall out in left field to close down the Samford lead 9-7.
Sophomore
Grey Adams was brought into relief of Stone and closed out the inning without any more resistance from GWU.
SU responded with a three-run inning in the bottom of the sixth to open some separation. Junior
Caitlin Bice was brought in to pinch hit for senior
Abby Adams and took the first pitch she saw and sent it over the wall in straight away center field for her first homerun of the season. Miranda tallied her second hit of the game later in the inning with a two-run homerun of her own to give Samford a comfortable 12-7 lead headed in to the seventh.
The Runnin' Bulldogs only managed to plate one run in the seventh to close out the contest.
Miranda finished the game 2 of 2 from the plate with three RBI, two runs scored and two walks to lead Samford offensively. Wilder tallied three RBI going 2 of 4 from the plate with one run scored.
Grey Adams picked up her first save of the season for her efforts.
The Bulldogs return to action in the Samford Classic on Saturday, Feb. 14, when the team takes on Murray State at 12:15 p.m.
