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MACON, Ga. -- For the second straight week, the Samford University baseball team fell prey to a series-opening, complete-game victory from its opponents' starting pitcher Friday, as Mercer's Ryan Askew tallied seven strikeouts in the Bears' 4-2 home Southern Conference victory held at OrthoGeorgia Park.
 
Last week, Samford (19-11, 2-2 SoCon) opened its weekend conference series at VMI with a similar 4-0 setback as the Keydets' Josh Winder also hurled a complete game. The Bulldogs went on to win the next two games and claim their fifth straight weekend series.
 
Samford will attempt to do the same against Mercer (26-6, 6-1 SoCon) this weekend, but the task will be a bit taller against the conference's first-place team and defending regular-season champion. The Bears also boast the nation's eighth-best record in Division I.
 
With Friday's loss, the Bulldogs had their three-game winning streak snapped. Samford now owns an even 8-8 mark when playing on the road this season.
 
Askew (4-0) notched his first complete game of the 2017 campaign. Mercer's ace allowed two earned runs on nine hits in the contest, but was able to limit the Bulldogs' big-inning possibilities. Askew didn't walk a single Samford hitter and lowered his ERA on the season to 3.29.
 
The Bulldogs' Mikhail Cazenave (2-4) turned in a solid outing Friday. The Bulldogs' senior native of Rainbow City, Alabama, only allowed three earned runs on eight hits, but walked four hitters in 4.2 innings of action. Cazenave finished the game with four strikeouts.
 
Junior Josh Rich came on in the fifth inning and pitched the final 3.1 innings of the matchup. He struck out five Bears and allowed one run on two hits.
 
Mercer, which is ranked third in the nation with 55 home runs this season, received round-trippers from Hunter Bening and JT Thomas on Friday. Bening hit a solo homer to left field in the fourth inning, while Thomas came through with a key drive to center field in the bottom of the seventh. Thomas' home run extended the Bears' lead to 4-2.
 
Samford scored runs in the second and seventh innings, but never led in Friday's matchup. The Bulldogs' leading hitter this season, true freshman Taylor Garris, finished 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in the team's second run of the game.
 
Sophomore Jordan Fucci also tallied a pair of hits and an RBI, while Kevin Williams, Jr., finished 2-for-4 at the dish and reached base three times. Samford also received key base hits from T.J. Dixon, Troy Dixon and Sam Teague.
 
Samford and Mercer will square off in the second game of this weekend's key SoCon series Saturday at 1 p.m. (CT) at OrthoGeorgia Park.
 
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