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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University baseball team scored six runs on four hits, including a mammoth two-run bomb from freshman Ayrton Schafer, in the seventh inning Friday as the Bulldogs opened their 2017 campaign with a 6-2 home triumph against the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in a non-conference matchup held at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
Samford (1-0) limited UNC Asheville (0-1) to two runs on five hits and didn't commit a single error Friday in a well-played victory in front of 885 fans. All six of the Bulldogs' runs were scored in the seventh inning as true freshmen Anthony Mulrine and Schafer both posted a pair of RBI.
 
Samford senior T.J. Dixon opened the inning with a leadoff walk and later scored on a line drive to right field from Austin Edens. Edens, the Bulldogs' powerful junior first baseman and Preseason All-American finished 2-for-4 at the plate Friday.
 
Next up, sophomore right fielder Jordan Fucci rapped a single to left field that scored true freshman Branden Fryman from third base. Samford's rally didn't stop there as Mulrine powered a two-run double off the wall in center field and Schafer launched a shot halfway up the pine trees well beyond the fence in left field.
 
Schafer's home run proved to be his first as a Bulldog and occurred in his Samford debut. Two runs scored on his long blast to give the Bulldogs a decisive 6-1 lead.
 
Junior right-hander Erin Baldwin (1-0) earned the victory on the mound. Samford's talented transfer from LSU Eunice tallied a strikeout and didn't allow a hit in a solid seventh inning of action.
 
The Bulldogs' highly-touted, experienced pitching staff only allowed five hits Friday. Sophomore Jesse McCord started the game and earned seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings. The Mississippi State transfer only allowed one run on four hits in the game.
 
Samford's Josh Rich, Kyle Stuart and Wyatt Burns also turned in solid outings.
 
Offensively, the Bulldogs' Kevin Williams, Jr., doubled in the second inning as Samford registered 11 baserunners in the opening six frames, but couldn't push across a run.
 
The seventh inning proved to be the big frame for the Bulldogs as UNC Asheville's Nick Boyles (0-1) was credited with the loss.
 
Samford will look to take a 2-0 record in the series Saturday at 2 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs face off against UNC Asheville in the second game of the three-game set.
 
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