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AUBURN, Ala. -- The Samford University baseball team will close out play in its five-game road stretch Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs travel to face the No. 19-ranked Auburn Tigers in a marquee nonconference matchup to be held at Plainsman Park.
 
Samford (24-17), which had recently been riding high with a 13-game winning streak, ran into a buzz-saw over the weekend and was swept by UNCG, 7-5, 7-2, and 7-6, in Southern Conference play. The Bulldogs' previous 13-game winning streak featured victories against Auburn (29-12), Alabama, UAB and proved to be the second longest in school history.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT
Samford scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning Sunday to garner a 5-4 advantage over the UNCG Spartans in the third game of the weekend's SoCon series, but the homestanding Spartans went on to rally for three runs in the bottom of the frame en route to an eventual 7-6 victory held at the UNCG Baseball Stadium.
 
With the loss, Samford moved to 10-7 when playing on the road this season. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 1-0 lead as true freshman Brooks Carlson blasted his sixth home run of the season over the left field fall. Carlson finished the game with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Samford's early momentum proved to be short-lived in the contest as UNCG quickly answered with four runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-1 lead.
 
Seven of the Spartans' nine hitters turned in base-hits Sunday. Tripp Shelton led the way with a 1-for-3 outing at the plate, his lone connection being a decisive two-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
After Samford rallied to score four runs on no hits in the top of the fifth inning to scrounge together a 5-4 advantage, UNCG answered with three scores in the bottom of the frame, including Shelton's home run. The Spartans' lone round-tripper of the weekend's series gave them a 7-5 lead, which ended up being a 7-6 victory in the series finale.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW . . .
1)  The Bulldogs' recent 13-game winning streak was their longest in 60 years, when Samford, then known as Howard College, opened the 1958 season with a 17-game streak.
 
2)  Samford's 13-game winning streak was its second longest in school history. The Bulldogs closed out the 1957 campaign with 11 straight victories and then opened 1958 with 17 consecutive wins for a school-record, 28-game stretch.
 
3)  Samford was named NCAA Baseball's Team of the Week on April 16, after finishing the week with a 12-3 victory against No. 21-ranked Auburn, as well as a SoCon sweep of Mercer.
 
4)  Since March 27, Samford owns a 13-3 record and is outscoring its opponents by a total of 120-44.
 
5)  Since March 27, the Bulldogs are also out-hitting their opponents, 178-111, which equates to a .312 - .215 advantage in batting average, including a 15-3 difference in home runs.
 
6)  Samford has defeated two nationally-ranked opponents this season in No. 21 Auburn and No. 22 UCF. The Bulldogs defeated Auburn, 12-3, on April 10, and topped UCF on the road in Orlando, Florida, 5-4, on Feb. 18.
 
7)  This marks the first time that Samford has registered two top-25 wins since 2012.
 
8)  Samford true freshman Samuel Strickland has already been named the SoCon Pitcher of the Week three times this season.
 
9)  The Bulldogs' pitching staff is nationally ranked in the top 35 in four major categories. Samford is currently No. 7 in shutouts (6), No. 9 in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (7.30), No. 9 in WHIP (1.20) and No. 33 in ERA (3.42).
 
10)  Samford's ERA of 3.42 is the team's lowest since 2011, when the Bulldogs finished the season with a 3.11 mark. Nine members of Samford's 2011 pitching staff were either drafted or played professionally.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Auburn enters Tuesday's showdown with a full head of steam, and is riding the positive momentum of a five-game winning streak. Since losing at Mississippi State on April 14, 7-2, the Tigers have rattled off consecutive victories against Mississippi State, 7-5, UAB, 12-2, and a series sweep on the road against Alabama, 19-5, 5-0, and 20-5. Auburn's series sweep at Alabama proved to be its first since 1976.
 
The Tigers boast an impressive 22-5 record at home this season. Auburn owns a team batting average of .280 this season and is being led by Will Holland's .319 mark. Steven Williams is also hitting over .300 with a tally of .313 this year. Auburn's pitching staff owns a 3.89 earned run average.
 
TUESDAY'S PITCHING MATCHUP
Samford - - LHP, Hamp Skinner, So. (Jacksonville, Florida) || 4-1 (4.41 ERA)
Auburn - - LHP, Jack Owen, Fr. (Coto De Caza, California) || 1-2 (8.83 ERA)
 
BURNS NAMED TO NCBWA PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Samford relief pitcher Wyatt Burns was named to the 2018 Stopper of the Year Watch List by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), it was officially announced by the organization's headquarters.
 
Burns, who also earned Preseason All-SoCon honors, entered the season as one of the top closers in the nation. Last year, the Bulldogs' sidewinder finished the campaign with 12 saves and 44 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.
 
SAMFORD IN THE 2018 NCAA STATISTICAL RANKINGS
 
Team - - - - -
#7 | Shutouts (6)
#9 | Fewest Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings (7.30)
#9 | WHIP (1.20)
#33 | Earned Run Average (3.44)
#36 | Strikeout-to-Walk Ratio (2.60)
#47 | Pitching Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (9.1)
#50 | Fewest Walks Allowed Per Nine Innings (3.49)
#55 | Times Hit By Pitch (51)
#61 | Sacrifice Bunts (25)
#72 | Hits (374)
#80 | Stolen Bases (48)
#87 | Won-Loss Percentage (0.585)
 
Samuel Strickland - - - - -
#9 | WHIP (0.79)
#31 | Fewest Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings (5.75)
#34 | Strikeout-To-Walk Ratio (6.25)
#36 | Victories (6)
#37 | Fewest Walks Allowed Per Nine Innings (1.39)
#41 | Earned Run Average (1.92)
 
Cody Shelton - - - - -
#13 | Games Started (10)
 
Josh Rich - - - - -
#17 | Pitching Appearances (22)
 
Branden Fryman - - - - -
#32 | Sacrifice Bunts (8)
 
Anthony Mulrine - - - - -
#44 | Hit By Pitch (12)
 
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.
 
BULLDOGS DEFEAT #21 AUBURN & #22 UCF THIS SEASON
Samford has already defeated two nationally-ranked opponents this season in No. 21 Auburn and No. 22 UCF. The Bulldogs defeated Auburn, 12-3, on April 10, and topped UCF on the road in Orlando, Fla., 5-4, on Feb. 18. This marks the first time that Samford has registered two top-25 wins since 2012.
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following Tuesday's in-state showdown at No. 19-ranked Auburn, the Samford University baseball team will next be in action Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs welcome the SIUE Cougars to Birmingham, for a three-game nonconference series to be held at Joe Lee Griffin 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.

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