ROSEMONT, Illinois – The Samford University softball team provided two more performances of late inning heroics on the second day of the Total Control Sports Invitational at The Dome at the Ballpark on Saturday, Feb. 7, with wins over Syracuse University (6-5) and Loyola University – Chicago (6-5) to improve to 4-0 on the season.
Redshirt junior
Mollie Hanson (2-0) pitched a combined total eight innings to pick up a complete game victory over Syracuse then secure the victory with a one inning save over Loyola in the final game of the day. Hanson now has two victories to her credit on the season with one save.
The Bulldogs jumped out early in both contests and took a 5-0 lead over the Orange then had to rally to score one more in the top of the seventh to come back and seal the 6-5 victory after the 'Cuse rallied to knot the score 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Samford had to dig down deep in game two against Loyola as they once again went ahead early 1-0 in the top of the second before falling behind 3-1 and eventually 4-1 after a solo homerun by the Ramblers in the bottom of the sixth.
There were two outs and freshman
Shelby Maze at the plate whenever the Bulldogs mustered the incredible rally. Maze tattooed a ball to deep right center field for a ground rule double to get things going. Junior
Caroline Wilder smoked a single back up the middle to put runners on the corners and set the table for freshman
Karsin Spinks.
SU scored its' first run since the second inning on an RBI single by Spinks that scored Maze from third to make the contest at 4-2. Senior
Abby Adams was a few feet away from clearing the bases and putting Samford on top but her ball carried enough for a ground rule double and close the Ramblers lead down to 4-3.
Junior
Caitlin Bice put the Bulldogs back into the driver's seat with a rip-shot down the left field line that cleared the bases for a two RBI double that put SU ahead 5-4.
Hanson was brought in for relief of
Grey Adams, who tossed five quality innings to pick up her second win of the season.
The Bulldogs return to action tomorrow on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 9 a.m. to take on Butler and wrap up the Total Control Sports Invitational.
