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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University baseball team used stellar pitching, clutch hitting and top-notch defensive plays to earn a 6-1 home victory against the Mercer Bears on Saturday as the Bulldogs extended their winning streak to 11 straight games in a key Southern Conference contest held at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
Samford (22-14, 9-2 SoCon), which has not been defeated since March 25, owns the nation's third longest active winning streak in the nation. The Bulldogs only trail Tennessee Tech (19) and Michigan (16) in the category.
 
Additionally, Samford's 11-game winning streak marks the program's longest in nearly 60 years, dating all the way back to 1959 when then-named Howard College opened the season with 12 straight victories.
 
The year before, in 1958, the Bulldogs began the season with 17 straight wins.
 
Samford's Samuel Strickland (6-0) started Saturday's contest and only allowed one earned run on six hits in 6.2 innings of action. The Bulldogs' three-time recipient, and reigning SoCon Pitcher of the Week, held the Bears' potent offensive attack in check, while maintaining his miniscule 1.35 ERA on the season.
 
Samford also received brilliant pitching performances from seniors Josh Rich and Wyatt Burns. Rich relieved Strickland in the seventh inning and worked out of a crucial jam in the frame, while Burns entered in the eighth inning and pitched the final two stanzas to register his sixth save of the season.
 
Burns also increased his SoCon-leading active career total to 26.
 
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Branden Fryman and Austin Edens both scored in the frame. Edens crossed the plate three times Saturday as Samford's All-SoCon senior turned in a 2-for-3 outing at the dish with a pair of singles.
 
Freshman Max Pinto also finished with a two-hit outing as he went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.
 
Samford right-fielder Ayrton Schafer doubled down the left field line and posted a pair of RBI in the contest, while fellow-sophomore Anthony Mulrine added a pair of RBI as well. The Bulldogs also received key base hits from Fryman, Brooks Carlson and Taylor Garris.
 
Mercer (26-11, 6-5 SoCon), which was preseason picked to finish first in the SoCon, suffered its fifth defeat in six outings. From March 14 to April 4, the Bears earned a sizzling 13-1 record, including a seven-game winning streak.
 
Chase Burks (4-3) started for Mercer on Saturday and was issued the loss. He allowed four runs on six hits in 5.2 innings of action.
 
Samford and Mercer will conclude play in this weekend's three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. (CT) here at Joe Lee Griffin Field as the Bulldogs will attempt to earn its third straight SoCon series sweep.
 
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