Box Score - - Game 1
Box Score - - Game 2
Updated Samford Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Samford's Heath Quinn came within a foot of hitting four home runs in Friday's 10-5 home victory against the BYU Cougars. Instead, the Bulldogs' Preseason All-American right fielder, had to settle with a double and two additional runs batted in as Samford scored five times in the bottom of the eighth inning at home at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
Quinn's line drive off the right field wall capped a game-winning rally for the Bulldogs in the eighth as Samford (5-2) also rode a spectacular relief performance from Jake Greer (1-0) to the win.
 
"I thought that Jake was phenomenal tonight," said Samford head coach Casey Dunn. "He was definitely one of the bright spots of the day and that was the second time in two weeks that he's come in and given us three very strong innings. He did a great job of utilizing three really good pitches and by using both sides of the plate. The confidence and maturity from this year to last year with Jake has been huge and he's showing outstanding signs of that on the mound."
 
Prior to Quinn's final at-bat of the game in the eighth inning, the Bulldogs' talented two-time All-Southern Conference selection, had already blasted deep home runs in the first, fourth and seventh innings. Quinn's first blast carried the bleachers in left-center field, while his last two both skied over the batter's eye in center field.
 
Quinn drove in seven of Samford's 10 runs in the game two victory and finished 4-of-5 from the plate with three runs scored. So far this season, he is leading the Bulldogs in hitting with a .533 batting average, 17 RBI, 16 hits, 13 runs, seven home runs, three doubles and a triple.
 
"It's crazy, because really his best swing all day was the one that didn't go out," said Dunn. "Heath's obviously a very good player and he was coming off three straight games where he was a little frustrated with himself, but he did a great job of getting some really good at-bats and making some adjustments."
 
BYU (6-1) used a grand slam, its second of the series, to garner an early 4-1 lead in Friday's second game. The Cougars' Eric Urry turned on a 1-0 pitch from Stephen Jones (1-1) and sent the home run over the right field wall. Urry's gland slam proved to be his second round-tripper of the season and occurred in the top of the fourth inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Samford's late rally started with single off the bat of T.J. Dixon. Hunter Swilling then roped a line drive into left center field and set up Quinn's second home run of the game.
 
Dixon finished Friday's nightcap with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate, while Jared Watson and Danny Rodriguez both added two-hit outings as well. Rodriguez currently boasts a stout .381 batting average on the season, while Dixon and Swilling combined to score four of the Bulldogs' 10 runs in the victory.
 
"I thought Frankie's (Navarrete) hard line drive into right center was huge," said Dunn. "As big as Heath's home runs were, I thought Frankie's key hit there was just as big. Hopefully, our guys can build off this win."
 
Samford's Greer came on to pitch in the sixth inning and closed out the game with five strikeouts, while only allowed two hits. With the stellar performance, he earned his first win of the 2016 campaign.
 
GAME ONE - - BYU 4, SAMFORD 3 (10 innings)
In a back-and-forth game held in near-perfect weather conditions at Joe Lee Griffin Field, BYU scored a late run in the top of the eighth inning to send the contest into overtime, and then took advantage of a leadoff double in the 10^th to tally a 4-3 win.
 
The Cougars' Colton Shaver opened extra innings with a double to left center field and then pinch runner Court Iorg scored in his stead from second base to notch the decisive run of the game.
 
The game-winning single came off the bat of Brennon Anderson, who also proved to be the hero in Thursday's opening game with a momentum-shifting grand slam.
 
Shaver finished 3-for-5 from the plate for BYU, while Anderson and Tanner Chuancey both turned in two-hit performances.
 
Samford scored runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead over the Cougars, but then BYU answered with scores in both the fourth and the fifth.
 
The Bulldogs took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth frame when Quinn sent a long solo home run over the center field fence. The dinger proved to be his first of four homers Friday. Quinn finished 2-for-5 from the dish in game one, while Swilling, Rodriguez and Richard Greene all added one hit apiece.
 
Sophomore Tristan Widra (1-0) started the first game of Friday's doubleheader and only allowed two earned runs in five full innings. He tallied four strikeouts, while giving up just five base hits.
 
"I thought Tristan really did a great job of starting the game today and that's where it all starts," said Dunn. "I thought he threw the ball well and that Parker (Curry) battled like crazy. He didn't have his best stuff, but was able to get out of some tough jams. I thought we really wasted two good performances by those guys in the first game."
 
Samford's home series against BYU will resume Saturday at noon (CST) as the Bulldogs and Cougars close out the teams' competitive four-game set being held at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
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Box Score - - Game 1
Box Score - - Game 2
Updated Samford Stats