­GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Samford University softball team fought back in exciting fashion to defeat Furman University 11-5 on 18 hits in game two after the squad fell 5-1 earlier in the initial contest on Saturday, April 9, inside Pepsi Stadium. Senior Caitlin Bice tied the NCAA single-game record in game two with a trio of doubles at the plate.

"Furman has great pitching and great hitting so I was really proud that we were able to make some adjustments." Head Coach Mandy Burford said. "It was nice to see us finally start stringing some hits together around the third inning in game two, not just a hit here or a hit there but we were able to put it together and put up a fight."

The Bulldogs (22-16, 7-1 SoCon) cranked out eight total doubles in the second game of the day to earn the twinbill-split over the Paladins (20-21, 3-5 SoCon) on the road. Bice's three doubles led the way going 3-for-4 at the plate but five other Bulldogs tallied multiple hit in the comeback effort.

Samford fell behind early 4-0 in game two and forced starting pitcher Jessica Stone from the circle. Fellow junior Grey Adams (2-2, 1-0 SoCon) stepped in for the final 5.2 innings to limit the Paladins offense to just one run on three hits.

"I'm really proud of the way Grey pitched today." Burford said. "I thought she kept the ball low and mixed her speeds really well. I thought that was her best outing in the three years I've been able to watch her play."

The late rally in game two started in the fifth inning of play when Samford strung together four of its eight doubles of the game. Megan Dowdy singled up the middle and was advanced to second on a SAC bunt by Shelby Maze.

Senior Callie Brister, junior Abbie Miranda and Bice each then recorded back-to-back-to-back RBI doubles to left center and tied the game 4-4 with the Paladins. Samford scored one run back in the third on a double-steal by Miranda and Maze while at the corners.

The Samford offense manufactured three more runs to take a 7-5 lead in the sixth on a SAC fly from Miranda, another Bice double and a SAC dropped fly off the bat of Abby Sweeney.

Four more runs in the seventh inning put the contest away for the Bulldogs to take the game 11-5. With the bases loaded Brister was hit by a Lindsey Bert (11-12) pitch which was followed up by a sharply hit RBI single up the middle from Miranda.

Sweeney capped off the scoring effort with the final double of the day which scored a pair of Bulldogs.

Bert managed to keep a lid on the Samford offense in game one as she limited the Bulldogs to just six hits and one run in game.

The Bulldogs lone run of the contest game in the second inning on a RBI single to left center field by Sweeney which scored Miranda to go up 1-0. Furman retaliated in the bottom of the inning to take the lead 2-1.

In the circle Mollie Hanson (13-8, 6-1 SoCon) dropped her first SoCon game of the season as Furman squeaked out five runs on eight hits, three of which came in the sixth on a three-run home run by Emma Ogburn.

Hanson recorded five strikeouts on the day to just one walk.

The Bulldogs return to action on Sunday, April 10, at noon (CST) for a rubber-match against the Paladins.