BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford junior shortstop Danny Rodriguez delivered a walk-off single to drive in junior first baseman Alex Lee in the bottom of the 10^th inning to give the Bulldogs a 4-3 win over The Citadel in the final game of a Southern Conference series Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
Andres Gracia (1-0) pitched the final 3.0 innings for Samford, allowing no runs on just one hit to pick up the win. Tristan Widra started the game and pitched 5.0 innings, giving up two runs on five hits. Mark Donham pitched 2.0 inning in relief, giving up just one unearned run on two hits. The three pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts and just two walks, with one of the walks being an intentional walk in the ninth inning.
 
"It was an unbelievable job by the three guys that threw for us today," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "I thought our guys threw the ball extremely well. Tristan set the tone. He went out there as a freshman and gave up a lead-off home run, but then settled in and gave us five good innings."
 
Offensively for Samford, Rodriguez went 3-for-3 with one RBI. Lee went 2-for-5 at the plate for Samford. Hunter Swilling hit his SoCon-leading 15^th home run of the season, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. Richard Greene and Frankie Navarrete also drove in a run each in the win.
 
For The Citadel, Steven Hansen went 3-for-4 at the plate. Austin Mapes went 2-for-4 with a home run and one RBI for the visitors. Skylar Hunter (2-6) pitched 2.0 innings, giving up one run on two hits to take the loss on the mound for The Citadel.
 
The Citadel jumped on top first with a run in the first inning and another run in the second for an early 2-0 lead. In the first inning, Mapes led the game off with a home run to right field for the contest's first run. In the second inning, Hansen tripled with one out. Hansen then scored when William Kinney grounded out to second base for a two-run Citadel lead.
 
Samford put its first run on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs in the inning, Swilling homered to left field to cut The Citadel's lead to 2-1.
 
Samford took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Lee singled to left field and Damon Waller walked to start the inning. Both runners advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by Rodriguez. Lee then scored the game-tying run on a ground out by Greene. Navarrete then singled through the left side of the infield to drive in Waller for a 3-2 Samford lead.
 
The Citadel tied the game with a run in the top of the seventh inning. Ryan Kilgallen reached base on a Samford error to start the inning. Shy Phillips then pinch ran for Kilgallen. Phillips advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Jacob Watcher, and then to third base when Mapes reached base on an infield single. Phillips then scored on another Samford error to knot the score at 3-3.
 
Neither team could score again until the bottom of the 10^th inning. Lee led the inning off with a double to right field. Gregory Mula then moved Lee to third base with a sacrifice bunt. Rodriguez then singled through the right side of the infield to drive in Lee for the 4-3 Samford win.
 
With the win, Samford improves to 25-21 overall and 11-7 in Southern Conference play. The Citadel drops to 20-26 overall and 5-13 in league play.
 
Samford will return to action on Tuesday, May 5, when the Bulldogs play at in-state rival Jacksonville State. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start from Rudy Abbott Field.