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

HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- The Samford University baseball team handed Southern Miss its second home loss of the 2016 season Sunday as the Bulldogs overcame a five-run deficit to defeat the Golden Eagles, 10-8, in game one before dropping a 6-3 decision in the second outing of a series-closing doubleheader held at Pete Taylor Park.
 
"I thought we did a great job in the first game," said Samford head coach Casey Dunn. "We hit the ball well in all 10 innings and our relievers really did a great job of coming in and putting us back on equal footing throughout the comeback. Honestly, in game two, if we just make a couple of routing plays, then we would have had a great chance of winning that one as well. That's what makes it kind of frustrating, because we should have been better offensively in the second game."
 
With Sunday's doubleheader split, Samford (9-7) moved to 2-4 in road games this season. Southern Miss (13-4) squeaked by with the series win and improved to 9-2 when playing at home this year.
 
The Bulldogs will next be in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CDT) as they remain on the road for the fourth-consecutive game to play at Alabama State in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
GAME ONE - - SAMFORD RALLIES LATE TO KNOCK OFF SOUTHERN MISS IN 10 INNINGS
In Sunday's opening game of the doubleheader, the Bulldogs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead behind a two-run homer from Hunter Swilling. Southern Miss then tallied seven runs in the next two innings to garner a 7-2 advantage heading into the third frame.
 
Samford, which entered the day hitting .306 as a team, closed out the game by outscoring the Golden Eagles, 8-1.
 
The Bulldogs picked up a run in the third inning, then tied the game at 7-7 with four huge runs in the top of the fifth. During Samford's big inning, the Bulldogs scored four runs on five hits and took advantage of a clutch two-run pinch hit single to left field from Jared Watson. Watson's game-tying single was smoked through the left side of the infield as Samford's senior finished 1-for-3 from the plate.
 
During the Bulldogs' fifth-inning rally, Frankie Navarrete, Swilling, Heath Quinn and Austin Edens all picked up key hits for Samford.
 
In the sixth inning, the Bulldogs fully bounced back from their early 7-2 deficit by taking an 8-7 lead. Junior T.J. Dixon drove in the leading run with a single as Danny Rodriguez crossed the plate from third base.
 
Samford senior Parker Curry (1-1) came on to pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning, but gave up a run to Southern Miss as they tied the score again at 8-8.
 
Curry, the Bulldogs' talented native of Pelham, Alabama, proved to be a huge factor for Samford down the stretch as he closed out the game with five solid innings. Curry only allowed one earned run on two base hits and earned the victory. He hurled 80 pitches in relief and struck out four Golden Eagles.
 
"Parker was great today," Dunn said. "He made one mistake in the sixth inning, but after that he threw extremely well for the remainder of the game. Our guys did an outstanding job at the plate and we were able to beat a really good team."
 
Samford secured the win in the top of the 10^th inning as Rodriguez drew a walk to start the frame. The Bulldogs then quickly had runners on first and second as Richard Greene reached on a sacrifice fielder's choice, while an error allowed Rodriguez to reach second base safely.
 
Navarrete then placed a perfect sacrifice bunt to the left side to allow both runners to advance to second and third.
 
At that point, Samford's Dixon dropped down a brilliant suicide squeeze bunt to the third baseman as Rodriguez sped home to take a 9-8 lead. The Bulldogs later garnered their decisive 10-8 advantage on an RBI single from Swilling.
 
"Yeah, we had the suicide squeeze called the on that one all the way and it was only the second time in 12 years that we've called it," said Dunn. "We need to save them for when we need them, I guess. I talked with (Associate Head Coach) Tony (David) during the pitching change and the only options were the suicide squeeze or to pinch hit, and T.J. (Dixon) felt confident about it and put down a perfect bunt."
 
Swilling paced Samford with an outstanding 4-of-5 performance at the plate as he drove in three runs and scored three more of his own. The Bulldogs' Preseason All-American came just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
 
Alex Lee, Quinn and Rodriguez all posted two-hit outings in game one, while Dixon, Edens, Rob Perteet, Watson, Greene and Navarrete added base hits as well.
 
GAME TWO - - SOUTHERN MISS SURGES LATE TO TOP BULLDOGS, 6-3
In Sunday's nightcap, Samford earned an early 3-0 lead by scoring a trio of runs in the top of the third inning. The Bulldogs' rally was ignited by Dixon's double down the right-field line. Swilling then continued his hot hitting with a double of his own to right center.
 
Dixon scored on Swilling's double and then Swilling was able to score on back-to-back deep fly outs from Quinn and Edens. Quinn's drive allowed Swilling to advance to third, while Edens secured an RBI sacrifice fly with a moon shot to right field.
 
Samford tallied its third run of the inning as senior catcher Greene was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Greene's RBI gave the Bulldogs an early 3-0 lead and proved to be his 13^th of the season.
 
Southern Miss methodically chipped away at Samford's lead with a run in the fourth, a run in the fifth and then three scores in the sixth to take a 5-3 advantage.
 
The Golden Eagles' Jake Sandlin turned in a hero's performance Sunday with a 3-for-4 outing in game two. He also drove in three runs and tallied a score of his own. Southern Miss' Tim Lynch went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, while Dylan Bordeaux, Taylor Braley and Hunter Slater also notched base hits of their own.
 
"We played great defense all weekend long until that sixth inning when we had two errors on back-to-back plays," Dunn said. "I thought Josh Rich came in to pitch and did a great job for us, but then he committed a throwing error and Frankie Navarrete got tripped up on a play there. Even after those two errors, we still had a chance to get out of the inning, but we just gave up two hard hits and before you know it, it was a three-run inning."
 
In the bottom of the eighth, the Golden Eagles tacked on an insurance run as Samford was held scoreless for the final six frames of the game in the 6-3 decision.
 
The Bulldogs' Swilling, Edens and Rodriguez all registered two-hit performances in game two, while Dixon, Watson and Navarrete added hits as well.
 
The Samford University baseball team will next be in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CST) as the Bulldogs travel to Montgomery, Alabama, for a midweek matchup against the Alabama State Hornets. The key in-state contest is scheduled to be held at Alabama State's Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.
 
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Game 1 - - Box Score
Game 2 - - Box Score
Updated Samford Stats