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2021 Samford Baseball with SoCon Trophy
6
Western Carolina WCU 28-21
8
Winner Samford SAM 35-22
Western Carolina WCU
28-21
6
Final
8
Samford SAM
35-22
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Western Carolina WCU 0 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 1 6 12 1
Samford SAM 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 4 8 11 1

W: Cupo, Carson (9-0) L: Jack Snyder (2-1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

SOCON CHAMPS: Walk-Off Home Run Earns Samford Baseball SoCon Tournament Title

BOX SCORE (PDF)

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Samford center fielder Max Pinto hit a two-run home run right-center field with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Bulldogs an 8-6 walk-off win over Western Carolina in the championship game of the Southern Conference Tournament Sunday afternoon at Fluor Field.
 
Earlier in the ninth inning, Towns King, who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, had hit a two-run homer to tie the score at 6-6.
 
The championship is Samford's ninth of the 2020-21 academic year, the most for any single year in Samford history. This is the third SoCon Tournament title for Samford baseball, as the team won the event in 2012 and in 2018. The Bulldogs earn the SoCon's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and the team will learn its opponent and location for the Regional Monday at 11 a.m. (CT) when the NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs on ESPN2.
 
The win marks Samford's 15th win in either a one or two-run game this season. Head Coach Casey Dunn said he thought it was fitting for his team to win in this fashion.
 
"There's not a better way for this group to win," Dunn said. "With everything they've gone through, the adversity of the season, the ups and downs of not playing well, playing okay, and just everything that we've dealt with, this was a fitting end to be able to finish late like that."
 
THE BASICS
FINAL: Samford 8 | Western Carolina 6
Date/Time: Sun., May 30 | Start 12:00 p.m. | TOG: 2:58
Location: Greenville, S.C. (Fluor Field)
Records: Samford (35-22) | Western Carolina (28-21)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
  • Western Carolina took the lead first with a run in the top of the fourth inning when Justice Bigbie doubled to drive in Pacanel Ferraras for a 1-0 Catamount lead.
  • Samford tied the game in the bottom of the first inning when Ryan Crockett scored on a sacrifice fly by Will David to knot the score at 1-1.
  • The Catamounts grabbed the lead again in the top of the sixth, plating three runs in the inning for a 4-1 advantage. After Seth Graves scored on a sacrifice fly, Luke Robinson hit a two-run home run to right-center field for a three-run WCU lead.
  • Western Carolina plated another run in the top of the seventh inning when Daniel Walsh scored on a Samford error for a 5-1 lead.
  • In the bottom of the seventh inning, Samford came back with three runs to cut the WCU lead to 5-4. King singled to drive in Tyler McManus with the first run of the inning. Taylor Garris later singled to drive in Kaden Dreier and Crockett to bring Samford to within one run.
  • The Bulldogs threatened to score in the bottom of the eighth inning, but a double play by the Catamounts ended the threat.
  • Western Carolina added one more run in the top of the ninth inning. Zach Ketterman doubled to left field to drive in Daniel Walsh for a 6-4 Western Carolina lead.
  • In the bottom of the ninth inning, King hit a two-run home run to left-center field to tie the game again at 6-6. With Taylor Garris on second base and two outs, Pinto hit an 0-1 pitch over the right-center field wall for the walk-off win.
 
ON THE MOUND
  • Carson Cupo (9-0) earned the win for Samford, pitching the final inning, allowing one run on two hits.
  • Hamp Skinner, Jalon Long and Billy Creger also pitched in the game for Samford.
  • Jack Snyder (2-1) pitched a third of an inning, allowing two runs on two hits to take the loss for Western Carolina.
 
NOTABLES 
  • King went 3-for-3 with the home run and three RBI to lead Samford at the plate.
  • Crockett also went 3-for-3, scoring three runs for the Bulldogs.
  • Pinto's walk-off homer came in a 1-for-5 performance, driving in two rounds.
  • King, Skinner, Carlson, Pinto, Will David and Tyler McManus were all named to the All-SoCon Tournament team, with King earning Most Outstanding Player honors.
  • Garrett Brown won the Pinnacle Award, which goes to the player on the championship team with the highest GPA.
 
2021 Southern Conference Championship All-Tournament Team
SP – Jackson Kelley, Mercer
SP – Hamp Skinner, Samford
RP – Dalton Rhadans, Wofford
C – Luke Robinson, Western Carolina
1B – Angelo Dispigna, Mercer
2B – Brooks Carlson, Samford
SS – Pascanel Ferreras, Western Carolina
3B – Will David, Samford
OF – Towns King, Samford
OF – Max Pinto, Samford
OF – Justice Bigbie, Western Carolina
DH – Tyler McManus, Samford
 
Walt Nadzak Most Outstanding Player
Towns King, Samford
 
Pinnacle Award (highest GPA on championship-winning team)
Garrett Brown, Samford
 
 NEXT UP 
Samford will learn its opponent and location for the NCAA Tournament Monday at 11 a.m. (CT) when the NCAA Tournament Selection Show airs on ESPN2.
 
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford baseball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordBaseball (Facebook), @SamfordBaseball (Instagram) and @SamfordBaseball (Twitter). 



 
 

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