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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University baseball team will put its undefeated record against in-state opponents on the line Tuesday as the Bulldogs welcome the Jacksonville State Gamecocks to Joe Lee Griffin Field for a key non-conference contest slated to begin at 6 p.m. (CDT).
 
So far this season, Samford (11-9) boasts an unblemished 3-0 record against in-state rivals. Already in 2016, the Bulldogs have tallied victories over UAB, 13-2, Troy, 20-6, and Alabama State, 18-7. In its three games against in-state foes this year, Samford has outscored the opposition, 51-15.
 
The Bulldogs head into Tuesday's contest with hopes of snapping a mini two-game losing streak. After topping Jacksonville University at home Friday, 8-5, Samford dropped the final two games of the series by scores of 7-2 and 9-2 on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
 
At home this season, the Bulldogs have compiled an 8-5 record when competing in the friendly confines of Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Jacksonville State (13-5) enters Tuesday's matchup as one of the hottest teams in the nation. The Gamecocks are in the midst of a seven-game winning streak and recently blasted Austin Peay, 25-12, in Ohio Valley Conference play Sunday.
 
Jacksonville State boasts a perfect 6-0 record in league games this season, while outscoring its OVC opponents by a total of 70-38,
 
The Gamecocks have also been victorious in 10 of their last 11 outings. During the streak, Jacksonville State's lone loss occurred March 9 at home against Troy, 10-0.
 
As a team, the Gamecocks are ranked No. 14 in the nation in scoring with an average of 8.3 runs per game. Additionally, Jacksonville State is also ranked 15th in the country in triples (9), 17th in both triples per game (0.5) and doubles per game (2.44), while being listed 20th in the nation in slugging percentage (.481).
 
Individually, the Gamecocks' Clayton Daniel paces the squad with a .385 batting average. Jacksonville State's sophomore speedster has already compiled 21 RBI, 18 runs, 10 walks and three doubles this season.
 
BULLDOGS' RECORD AGAINST JACKSONVILLE STATE - - THE DUNN ERA
Since Head Coach Casey Dunn took the reins to the Bulldogs' baseball program in 2004, Samford has compiled an 11-19 overall record against Jacksonville State.
 
Last season, the teams played their annual home-and-home non-conference series and split the two games. The Bulldogs tallied a thrilling 14-13 victory on the road May 5, but Jacksonville State opened the season's rivalry with a 9-6 win in Birmingham on March 25.
 
SAMFORD'S DUNN REACHES 350-WIN MARK
On March 18, the Bulldogs earned an 8-5 home victory against Jacksonville. With the triumph, Samford's Dunn reached the 350-win plateau in his 12th season at the helm of the Bulldogs' baseball program.
 
Dunn was named Samford's head baseball coach in August 2004. Under his leadership, the Bulldogs have posted 30-plus wins in eight of the last 10 seasons. The team has also played in the Southern Conference Tournament title game in four of the last five years.
 
In 2012, Dunn coached the Bulldogs to their first SoCon championship and NCAA Tournament bid. The team also set a school record for wins with 41. Also in 2012, Dunn's squad produced a school-record seven Major League Basbeall Draft picks, and it had a total of nine players sign with MLB teams.
 
IT'S RALLY TIME
Already this season, Samford has scored 10 runs in an inning TWICE. The first occurrence happened Feb. 19, in the Bulldogs' opening game of the year against Butler. En route to a 14-1 victory, Samford exploded for 10 runs on nine hits in the bottom of the sixth inning as the Bulldogs garnered an 11-1 lead at the time.
 
Samford's second 10-run inning this season occurred March 8 at home against Troy. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Bulldogs sent 15 batters to the plate, scored 10 runs on four hits and gave Samford a 20-5 lead over the Trojans. The Bulldogs went on to win the game, 20-6.
 
BULLDOGS IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Category, Rank (Value)
Home Runs, #6 (26)
Home Runs Per Game, #8 (1.3)
Slugging Percentage, #14 (.491)
Scoring, #18 (7.9 rpg)
Runs, #19 (158)
Doubles, #21 (45)
Hit by Pitch, #22 (28)
Hits, #26 (217)
Doubles Per Game, #27 (2.25)
 
RICHARD GREENE - - LUCKY NO. 13
Samford's Richard Greene, the Bulldogs' senior starting catcher, wears No. 13 again this season. Here in 2016, as we head into Tuesday's non-conference home showdown against Jacksonville State, Greene owns identical totals of 13 runs and 13 RBI this year.
 
Additionally, Samford's Greene boasts a .338 batting average this season and leads the team by drawing six hit-by-pitches.
 
IT'S TIME TO PULL AWAY
In the sixth and seventh innings this season, Samford is outscoring its opponents by a jaw-dropping total of 59-17. So far this year, the Bulldogs have already scored a total of 158 runs, while over a third of those runs were tallied in the sixth and seventh innings. More specifically, Samford is outscoring the opposition, 32-9, in the sixth stanza and 27-8 in the seventh inning.
 
BULLDOGS' HEATH QUINN IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Category, Rank (Value)
Home Runs, #1 (10)
Home Runs Per Game, #2 (.50)
Runs Batted In, #4 (32)
Runs Batted In Per Game, #4 (1.6)
Total Bases, #5 (66)
Slugging Percentage, #13 (.805)
Runs, #25 (24)
 
SAMFORD'S PLAYER OF THE WEEK - - RICHARD GREENE
Samford's Greene started in three games at catcher last week before getting a day's rest Sunday versus Jacksonville University. The Bulldogs tallied a 2-1 record in the outings as Greene compiled a phenomenal .462 batting average with two hits in each of the three games.
 
Samford's native of Birmingham, finished 2-for-3 in Friday's 8-5 win against Jacksonville and then added a 2-for-4 performance Saturday. On Tuesday, in the Bulldogs' lone midweek game on the road at Alabama State, Greene turned in a 2-for-6 outing with a pair of runs scored. He tallied four runs on the week and accumulated a .500 on-base percentage, as well as a .462 slugging mark.
 
Samford's Greene is also on the National Watch List for both the Johnny Bench Award and the Senior CLASS award. He boasts a .338 batting average this season with 13 runs scored and 13 RBI.
 
HUNTER SWILLING IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Category, Rank (Value)
Doubles, #6 (11)
Doubles Per Game, #12 (.55)
Runs, #25 (24)
Runs Per Game, #32 (1.2)
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following Tuesday's home game against Jacksonville State, the Samford University baseball team will next be in action Thursday at 5 p.m. (CDT) as the Bulldogs begin SoCon play on the road versus the Furman Paladins with the first of three games to be held at the Latham Baseball Stadium in Greenville, South Carolina.
 
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordBaseball and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.

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