JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—The Samford baseball team plated six runs in the top of the ninth inning to come from behind for a 6-1 win at Jacksonville in the first game of a three-game series Friday night at John Sessions Stadium.
 
"This was about as clean of a college game as you can have for eight innings," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "Alex (Ledford) threw really well, and Mark (Donham) was good as well. Their first guy (Michael Baumann) was unbelievable. We did a great job of battling, and once we got to their bullpen, I thought our guys got better."
 
Samford trailed, 1-0 entering the ninth inning. Alex Lee led the inning off with a single to right field. Hunter Swilling then singled to center field, and Robert Perteet, who pinch ran for Lee, advanced to second base. Swilling and Perteet each advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Frankie Navarrete. Austin Edens then walked to load the bases with one out.
 
Richard Greene then singled to left field to drive in Swilling and Perteet for the eventual game-winning runs, giving Samford a 2-1 lead. Danny Rodriguez then singled to load the bases again. T.J. Dixon then reached base on a fielder's choice, and Edens was thrown out at home. Greene then scored when Jared Watson reached base on an error to make the score 3-1.
 
Heath Quinn walked with the bases loaded to drive in Rodriguez for a 4-1 Bulldog lead. Perteet then walked to score Dixon to make the score 5-1. Watson then scored on an error for a 6-1 Samford lead.
 
Mark Donham (2-0) pitched the final 2.0 hitless innings of relief to earn the win on the mound for Samford. Alex Ledford started the game on the mound for Samford and pitched 7.0 strong innings, giving up just one run on five hits.
 
Lee led Samford with two hits in the game, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Greene drove in two runs, going 1-for-4 for the Bulldogs. Watson, Quinn and Perteet had an RBI each for Samford.
 
Jacksonville's Drew Luther drove in the Dolphins' lone run, going 1-for-3 at the plate. Nathan Disch (0-1) tossed two-thirds of an inning, giving up six runs on four hits to take the loss for Jacksonville.
 
The teams were scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning when Jacksonville took a 1-0 lead. Austin Hays walked to lead off the inning. After moving to second base on a sacrifice bunt and third base on a ground out, Hayes scored on a single by Luther to give the Dolphins a 1-0 lead.
 
With the win, Samford improves to 6-8 on the season. Jacksonville falls to 7-10 with the loss.
 
Samford and Jacksonville will continue their three-game series with a game Saturday at 1 p.m. (CST). The game can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/wvsu.