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AUBURN, Ala. -- The Samford University baseball team will square off against the Auburn Tigers on Tuesday at 3 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs close out their early-season, four-game road swing with an in-state showdown to be held at AU's Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park.
 
Samford (2-4) heads into the matchup looking to break out of its current four-game losing streak. Since earning consecutive victories against UNC Asheville to open the 2017 campaign, 6-2 and 4-1, the Bulldogs dropped their series finale to UNCA, 6-4, and were then swept on the road at No. 5-ranked Florida State.
 
Florida State proved to be the Bulldogs' highest-ranked opponent for a three-game series in school history. The previous record-holding opponent was No. 10-ranked Louisville. Samford squared off against the Cardinals in 2014.
 
The Bulldogs' Kevin Williams, Jr., powered two home runs over the weekend at Florida State and now possesses four round-trippers in six games this season. All seven of the Bulldogs' home runs this season have been hit by a pair of Bulldogs. Williams leads the team with four, while true freshman Ayrton Schafer has connected on three.
 
Samford's Williams started in left field for all three of the Bulldogs' road games at Florida State and tallied a .455 batting average with two home runs, four RBI and a pair of runs scored against the Seminoles. He hit safely in all three games of the series and posted two-hit performances on both Friday and Saturday.
 
In the opening game of the weekend, Williams started the series off with a bang by blasting two home runs against Florida State and drove in all three of Samford's runs. He also went 2-for-4 at the plate in game two and closed out the series with a 1-for-4 performance in the final game of the series Sunday. For the weekend, Williams drove in four of Samford's seven runs scored.
 
Auburn (7-1) enters Tuesday's game riding the positive momentum of a five-game winning streak. Since losing to George Washington in the nightcap of a doubleheader held Feb. 18, the Tigers took the rubber match of their series with GWU, defeated Florida A&M on Wednesday, 12-8, and then swept a weekend series at home against Patriot League preseason favorite Holy Cross.
 
Auburn completed the sweep with a 13-4 win Sunday. It proved to be the Tigers' first sweep since March 23-25, 2015, against Georgia. The victory also improved Auburn to 7-1 on the season for the first time since 2007.
 
TUESDAY'S PITCHING MATCHUP
Samford - - RHP, Connor Radcliff, So. (Birmingham, Alabama) || 0-0 (54.00 ERA)
Auburn - - RHP, Daniel Sprinkle, So. (Pine Bluff, Arkansas) || 0-1 (9.64 ERA)
 
The Bulldogs' Radcliff earned 11 starts last year and finished the season with a 3-4 record. He compiled 43 innings pitched and 16 appearances, while earning 40 strikeouts, nearly one per inning. Radcliff was also named to the 2016 Southern Conference Spring Academic All-Conference Team.
 
Samford and Auburn will meet on the diamond for the first time since March 31, 2015. That season, the teams faced each other twice, with each team winning on the home field of their opponent. The Bulldogs won, 7-0, at Auburn, but came up short, 9-4, at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
Since 2011, Samford owns a 6-4 record against the Tigers, including a 3-2 mark on the road in Plainsman Park.
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following Tuesday's road game at Auburn, the Samford University baseball team will next be in action Friday at 4 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs return home to begin a three-game series against the Indiana Hoosiers to be held at The Griff.
 
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordBaseball and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.

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