GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Samford University softball team belted out 14 hits in a 9-6 victory over Furman University to take the series 2-1 over the Paladins on Sunday, April 10, inside Pepsi Stadium. The three-game series victory on the road marks the first time that the Bulldogs have accomplished the feat against Furman.
 
The Bulldogs (23-16, 8-1 SoCon) jumped out in front early in the contest 3-0 thanks to a timely home run from senior Megan Dowdy. The long ball over the center field was the Fairhope, Alabama natives first of the season and fourth of her career.
 
"I thought the lineup one-through-nine did really well today and we adjusted to what they were throwing at us." Head Coach Mandy Burford said. "The home run by Meg at dead-centerfield was just awesome. The top of the lineup of Meg, Maze and Callie did a very good jump of getting on base and putting us in a position to win today."
 
Junior pitcher Rebecca Leonard (1-1, 1-0 SoCon) received the start in the circle for Samford and pitched four quality innings as she limited the Paladin (20-22, 3-6 SoCon) offense to just one hit and a single unearned run.
 
"Becca has done really well the last couple of weeks of practice. We've held a couple of inter-squad scrimmages for her and she looked really sharp." Burford said. "I felt good about starting her today and bringing Grey right behind and I was glad Mollie was able to come in and shut the door in the ninth."
 
Furman closed down the Samford lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the 5^th inning on a sacrifice fly from Sieara Bishop to right field off of relief pitcher Grey Adams.
 
The bats really came alive for the Bulldogs in the top of the 6^th and 7^th innings as the squad ripped off six runs and open up a 9-2 cushion on the scoreboard.
 
Senior Callie Brister singled through the left side to score Dowdy in the 6^th inning and capped off the scoring effort in the 7^th with her eighth home run of the season with a towering three-run shot to left field.
 
Sophomore Shelby Maze accounted for the other RBI to score freshman Madison Couch while Karsin Spinks crossed home plate to start the inning on an error by Borrelli at first.
 
The Paladins countered the big inning from the Bulldogs in the bottom of the 7^th and plated four runs to close down the lead to 9-6 with one out which prompted an appearance from Mollie Hanson in the circle. Hanson shut the door on Furman to record two-straight outs and her second save of the season.
 
Dowdy finished a triple shy of the cycle and finished 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs and three runs scored while Brister finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and a run scored. Both Bulldogs were responsible for the pair of home runs in the contest.
 
Both Maze and Spinks tallied multiple hits as they each went 2-for-4 at the plate.
 
The Bulldogs step outside of SoCon action for a single midweek game against in-state foe Troy University in Troy, Alabama at 4 p.m.