Game 1:  Friday, March 2  |  3:00 PM (CT)  |  Video  |  Live Stats
Game 2:  Saturday, March 3  |  1:00 PM (CT)  |  Video  |  Live Stats
Game 3:  Sunday, March 4  |  Noon (CT)  |  Video  |  Live Stats

Tickets  |  Samford Game Notes

KENNESAW, Ga. -- The Samford University baseball team will be competing in its first road series of the 2018 season this weekend as the Bulldogs travel to face the Kennesaw State Owls in a three-game set to be held at Stillwell Stadium on the campus of Kennesaw State University.
 
The teams are slated to play Friday at 3 p.m. (CT), Saturday at 1 p.m., and Sunday at noon.
 
Samford (5-4) heads into the weekend looking to bounce back from a 13-3 home loss to Alabama on Tuesday. In the defeat, the Bulldogs allowed big innings of six and four runs. The Crimson Tide scored four big runs in the fifth inning and then tacked on six scores to put the game away in the ninth frame.
 
Sophomore third baseman Taylor Garris finished 1-for-4 on the night, while senior Austin Edens and sophomore Ayrton Schafer both turned in two-hit performances. Samford's Brooks Carlson turned in a 1-for-4 performance with one run and an RBI, while also making a pair of stellar plays in the field.
 
The Bulldogs sent nine pitchers to the mound and compiled six strikeouts, but also allowed seven walks.
 
Kennesaw State (4-6) enters Friday's series opener with hopes of bouncing back from back-to-back losses to Southern Conference opponent Mercer on Tuesday and Wednesday. In the first game of the home-and-home midweek series, the Owls last at home to the Bears, 4-0. Kennesaw State then traveled to Macon on Wednesday and suffered a 7-5 defeat.
 
The Owls own a 4-5 record at home this season and boast victories against UConn and Evansville.
 
SAMFORD vs. KENNESAW STATE
Friday's game will mark the 18^th time that the Bulldogs and Owls will square off on the diamond. Kennesaw State enters the matchup with an 11-6 lead in the series. The last meeting between the teams occurred Feb. 28, 2010, as Samford earned a 5-3 road victory to win the three-game series held in Kennesaw.
 
SAMFORD PICKED TO FINISH THIRD IN SOCON
Samford was predicted to finish third in the SoCon preseason standings by both the coaches and media as the league headquarters officially released the annual picks. In the coaches' vote, Samford received 43 points and came in third place behind UNCG and Mercer, which both finished tied for first place with 58 points apiece.
 
On the media side, the Bulldogs' 82 points placed third again behind Mercer and UNCG. Mercer garnered the first-place spot with 119 points, while UNCG followed with 114.
 
KENNESAW STATE PICKED TO FINISH FOURTH IN ASUN
Kennesaw State was picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll, tallying 40 points. Stetson (63) was selected first, while FGCU (55) and Jacksonville (46) were all selected ahead of the Owls. North Florida, Lipscomb, USC Upstate and NJIT round out the poll.
 
STRICKLAND NAMED SOCON PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Samford starting pitcher Samuel Strickland was honored Monday by being named the SoCon Pitcher of the Week for all games played from Feb. 19-25. The selection was made by the league office.
 
Strickland made the first home start of his collegiate career Saturday and the Bulldogs' true freshman turned in a brilliant performance against Harvard. He only allowed two hits in seven full innings on the mound and led Samford to its 8-0 victory.
 
Strickland, Samford's talented native of Birmingham, Alabama, also tallied a season-high nine strikeouts in the contest, while only allowing a total of two base-runners and 83 net pitches. Last week, Samford's pitching staff finished with a miniscule 1.98 earned run average, limited opponents to a .133 batting average and earned 67 strikeouts.
 
FILLING SOME FAMILIAR SHOES
Samford junior Troy Dixon has been tasked with filling some big shoes this season. After his older brother, T.J., started for four straight seasons in center field for the Bulldogs and was subsequently drafted in the 24th round by the Minnesota Twins in 2017, Dixon is now filling his spot both in center field and in the lead-off position for Samford this season.
 
Last year, Dixon started at second base for the Bulldogs and batted primarily in the ninth spot.
 
DID YOU KNOW?
Under the tutelage of Head Coach Casey Dunn, Samford is the winningest Division I program in the state of Alabama since 2011, and the Bulldogs have had 22 players selected in the MLB Draft over the last seven years.
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following this weekend's road series at Kennesaw State, the Bulldogs will return to action Tuesday and
Wednesday as they play host to both Troy and Austin Peay in a pair of midweek contests to be held at Joe Lee Griffin Field in Birmingham, Ala. Samford will play Troy on Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CT) and Austin Peay at the same time Wednesday.
 
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.

Game 1:  Friday, March 2  |  3:00 PM (CT)  |  Video  |  Live Stats
Game 2:  Saturday, March 3  |  1:00 PM (CT)  |  Video  |  Live Stats
Game 3:  Sunday, March 4  |  Noon (CT)  |  Video  |  Live Stats

Tickets  |  Samford Game Notes