BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Samford track athlete qualified for the NCAA Championships, and the baseball team ended its season at the Southern Conference Tournament last week.
 
BASEBALL
The Samford baseball team went 2-2 to end its season last week in the Southern Conference Tournament.
 
The Bulldogs opened the tournament with a dramatic, 5-4, 10-inning, walk-off win over Western Carolina that ended on a home run by freshman first baseman Sonny DiChiara. The team then blasted Mercer, 11-0, to reach the semifinal round, with outfielder Jordan Fucci hitting for the cycle to lead the team to the win. The Bulldogs, however, fell twice Saturday, losing to Wofford (5-2) and Mercer (4-3) to end the team's season.
 
DiChiara, Fucci, shortstop Branden Fryman and pitcher Jesse McCord were each named to the All-SoCon Tournament team. The Bulldogs finished the season with 41 wins, tying the school record, and the team earned the program's first SoCon regular-season championship.
 
TRACK & FIELD
Eight members of the Samford track and field teams competed in the NCAA East Regional in Jacksonville, Florida, over the weekend. Senior Karisa Nelson qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 1,500-meter run, coming in fourth in her heat with a time of 4:20.39.
 
Nelson will compete in the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas. The championships are scheduled for June 5-8, on the campus of the University of Texas at Mike A. Myers Track and  Soccer  Stadium.
 
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