BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University softball team blasted a season-high six home runs to rout Tennessee State 8-0 in five innings on Friday, March 4, at the SU Softball Stadium.

"Our strength coach Tyler Landolt is awesome for our girls and the program. He puts in a lot of hard work and it kind of goes unnoticed but he is a big part of our success." Head Coach Mandy Burford said. "When we start hitting change ups out of the ball park like that then that is a testament as to how hard he works and how hard the girls have worked in the weight room."

The Bulldogs (9-6) offense sputtered out of the gate to start the game as Lauren Woodard (1-7) sat down six-straight Samford batters for the Tigers (4-11) through the first two innings of play.

The bats came alive in the top of the 3^rd inning after senior Caitlin Bice led off with a single to left field. Sophomore Lexie Higgins put the first pair of runs on the board with as she plated Bice with a two-run home run over the wall in left field.

The long ball seemed to come in pairs throughout the afternoon as Callie Brister crushed a shot over the wall in right center in the very next at-bat to give Samford a 3-0 lead over Tennessee State.

Samford struck again in the following inning with another pair of home runs. Bice roped a shot over the wall in left center and Hannah Trombley smashed her 6^th home run of the season to give the Bulldogs 5-0 lead over the Tigers.

It was an inning of firsts for a pair of freshmen Bulldogs in the 5^th inning as Kelsey Royalty recorded her first career home run with a lead-off shot over the wall that hit the scoreboard while Annalyn Yantis ripped a base hit in her first career at-bat.

"The freshman class is very talents and it's going to be a chore for me to figure out how to get them more involved. With so many returning starters from last year and trying to get the freshmen enough at-bats to where they're not "freshmen" again next year and get them some experience." Burford said. "I'm just proud of them, that's what they do every day at practice but being able to not just be a practice player and to be a gamer – play between the lines is what they call that – so we're trying to get them that experience."

Junior Abby Sweeney ended the contest the following at-bat with a two-run home run that scored Yantis to make the score 8-0.

Junior Jessica Stone (4-2) recorded the win in the circle for the Bulldogs as she pitched a complete-game shutout. The Moody, Alabama native scattered five hits and gave up one walk while she also recorded three strikeouts.

"Jess got ahead in the count early on and I wanted to see her make it through the fifth. With how much Mollie has pitched over her career she's used to being able to go the complete game and that's something I want." Burford continued. "Whoever our number two and number three is going to be down the road is going to have to go the distance so I wanted to see her close out the fifth and finish the game with a shutout."

"I'm very proud of her and the progress she is making but I still think she has a lot more to do before she reaches her full potential."

Samford travels to Jacksonville, Alabama to take on Jacksonville State University for a double header that is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. (CST).