Box Score
Updated Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University baseball team suffered its first home loss in over two weeks Sunday as the Eastern Michigan Eagles scored five runs in the final four innings of action en route to handing the Bulldogs only their third defeat of the season held at Joe Lee Griffin Field, 8-3. Eastern Michigan's win also kept Samford from earning its second straight three-game sweep.
 
The Bulldogs will next be in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CT) as they travel to Troy for a midweek showdown against the Troy Trojans slated to be held at Riddle-Pace Field.
 
With Sunday's loss, Samford (12-7) moved to 9-3 at home this season. The Bulldogs' only 2017 setbacks at Joe Lee Griffin Field have come against UNC Asheville, 6-4, Indiana, 10-5, and Eastern Michigan (4-15), 8-3.
 
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Samford's Jordan Fucci earned a one-out walk and later tied the score at 3-3 in the contest as Taylor Garris shot a big RBI single through the left side of the infield. Garris, the Bulldogs' impressive true freshman from Sarasota, Florida, finished 1-for-3 at the plate with two RBI.
 
Eastern Michigan answered Samford's game-tying score in demonstrative fashion Sunday as the Eagles exploded for three runs in the top of the eighth, as well as two in the ninth. EMU's late five-run rally solidified their only win of the three-game series.
 
The Eagles' senior catcher Jeremy Stidham turned in his best game of the weekend by going 3-for-5 with three RBI and a trio of runs scored. Eastern Michigan's native of Colorado Springs, Colorado, also blasted his first two home runs of the season.
 
Jordan Peterson equaled Stidham's 3-for-5 performance at the dish. He added his second home run of the season, while scoring a pair of runs.
 
The Eagles broke out for 13 hits Sunday, while Samford was held to six. The Bulldogs' Fucci tallied a 2-for-3 outing on the day, but proved to be the only Samford player with a multi-hit performance. Kevin Williams, Jr., Sam Teague, Ryan Crockett and Garris also added base hits for the Bulldogs.
 
Eastern Michigan's James Harness (1-2) came on in relief and earned the win. He didn't allow a single hit and tallied a strikeout in the final 2.2 innings of the game.
 
Samford's Tristan Widra (1-2) entered the contest in the seventh inning and proved to be the pitcher of record after allowing Peterson's solo home run in the top of the eighth.
 
The Samford University baseball team will next be in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs travel to Troy for a midweek matchup against the Troy Trojans to be held at Riddle-Pace Field.
 
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.

Box Score
Updated Stats