BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University softball team took its third-straight series over Chattanooga with a doubleheader sweep (10-0, 7-6) on Saturday, April 2, at the SU Softball Stadium.
"Total team effort from top to bottom, one through twenty." Head Coach
Mandy Burford said. "I was very impressed with the bottom of our lineup and I can't say enough about
Abbie Miranda's defense."
"I thought we played great defense today behind the pitchers and we made great adjustments as the game went on in game two but I hope we start as strong tomorrow as we did in game one." Burford stated.
Despite the Mocs (19-18, 2-3 SoCon) holding a lopsided all-time 36-8 series advantage over the Bulldogs (20-15, 5-0 SoCon) coming into this weekend's matchup; Samford found a way to win the pair of games in two very different fashions.
Redshirt senior
Mollie Hanson (12-7) picked up two more SoCon wins as she pitched a five inning two-hit complete-game shutout to start the day and pitched four-complete innings in relief to help secure the comeback victory in game two.
The Bulldogs trounced the Mocs in the initial game of the day as the squad jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. The first run of the day came on a bases loaded fielder's choice off the bat of junior
Abbie Miranda where sophomore
Shelby Maze scored on a throwing error from Katie Corum that pulled catcher Anyssa Robles off home plate.
In the very next at-bat junior
Abby Sweeney (3 for 3) doubled to right center field to clear the bases and give Samford the 4-0 lead.
Samford plated five more runs in the third in an inning that was highlighted by senior
Megan Dowdy. Dowdy became Samford's all-time career leader in at-bats and put the game out of reach of the Mocs when she loaded up on a change up and sent it off the wall in right field for a three RBI triple.
Maze recorded an RBI single to score Dowdy and freshman
Kelsey Royalty initiated the rally with a bases loaded RBI walk.
The Bulldogs scoring efforts in game one were capped in the fourth when Brister and Bice were set on the corners and Brister scored when Bice was caught trying to steal second base.
Game two of the afternoon was a completely different story than the first as Samford had to find a way to come from behind and win against Chattanooga.
Mocs pitcher Jordan Fortel (5-8) kept the Bulldogs off balance for a majority of the contest and worked with a lead all the way until the decisive final inning of play.
Chattanooga jumped out on top 4-0 in the top of the third inning but Samford responded in the bottom of the frame to plate three runs and close down the lead to 4-3. Maze plated Royalty on an RBI single to short while senior
Caitlin Bice placed a two-RBI single shallow down the right field line.
The Mocs tacked on a run in the fifth to extend their lead out to 5-3 but the Bulldogs again responded.
In the bottom of the sixth inning freshman
Hannah Trombley drove in Bice on a SAC fly to deep left field while the freshman pinch runner
Madison Couch scored the tying run on a fielding error at short by Alyssa Taylor.
Hanson gave up one run in the second game as Alyssa Coppinger hit her first home run of the season in the top of the eighth inning to give Chattanooga a 6-5 lead.
Again Samford found a way, the Bulldogs scrapped at the plate as Miranda led off the bottom of the frame reaching on a throwing error by Ashley Connor at third which allowed her to move into scoring position. Sweeney plated her drove in her fourth RBI of the day as she doubled down the left line to plate the tying run.
A single by Trombley put runners on the corners with no outs for Lexi Higgins. Higgins would then single to shallow left center field to driving the deciding run in game winning fashion.
Samford and Chattanooga are set to play the third game of the series on Sunday, April 3, at 1 p.m. at the SU Softball Stadium.
