JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -  The Samford University softball team used timely hitting and outstanding defensive play to defeat Jacksonville University 10-2 and 3-2 in the first two games of a three-game series.

The Bulldogs (17-8) opened up the series with a strong offensive showing against the Dolphins. The bats came alive in the top of the fifth when Samford plated seven runs on Jacksonville ace Victoria Brown (10-8).

Redshirt junior Mollie Hanson (8-4) received the call to throw from the circle for the Bulldogs and didn't give the Dolphins much to work with as she struck out eight batters with allowed one run in five innings of work.

Jacksonville plated one run in the bottom of the sixth to close down the Samford lead to 7-2 but the Bulldogs extended the lead back out to eight after the team posted three runs in the top of the seventh to put the game away.

Sophomore Rebecca Leonard closed out the game for Samford and only allowed one hit in two innings of relief.

The Bulldogs scored 10 runs on 11 hits and three Dolphin errors en route to the first victory. Junior Megan Dowdy tallied the most hits going 3 for 5 with an RBI and two runs scored while eight other Bulldogs scored one run each. Sophomore Abbie Miranda and freshman Lexie Higgins both notched two RBI performances.

It was all about defense in the final game of the day and senior Abby Adams made two critical plays that kept Jacksonville from tying the game or taking the lead in the close 3-2 affair.

Adams made a spectacular diving catch in the air to her right side at shortstop on a hard hit line drive that was sure to give Jacksonville momentum when they trailed 2-0 to Samford in the bottom of the fourth.

The Hobart, Ind. native then made intelligent play in the fifth, as Samford clung to a 3-1 lead, when the Dolphins hit a chopper over Hanson's head with runners on second and third with two outs.

Adams made a diving stab and threw out the second runner trying to score at home for the final out of the inning. Adams made the split-second decision of throwing home when she knew that she wasn't going to throw out the left-handed slapper running down the line to first.

The Bulldogs plated two of its' three runs in the top of the fourth thanks to a pair of RBI singles from Miranda and freshman Shelby Maze. The final run for Samford came in the top of the fifth when Abby Adams sent out a sacrifice fly out to left field that scored Caitlin Bice from third.

Grey Adams (6-1) tossed three and two thirds shutout innnings to pick up her sixth win of the season while she struck out two with zero walks. Hanson cleaned up the game to pick up her second save of the year and picked up three more strikeouts to bring her daily total to 11.

The Bulldogs will face the Dolphins for the final game of the series on Sunday, March 15, at noon with a chance to claim the weekend sweep.