Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 FLORENCE, Ala. – The Samford softball team dropped a pair of games to the Lions of North Alabama, 8-6 and 3-2, Tuesday afternoon in a midweek matchup at Hilda B. Anderson Softball Stadium.
 
BOX SCORE: GAME ONE (PDF)
BOX SCORE: GAME TWO (PDF)
 
GAME 1
Final: Samford 6 | North Alabama 8
 
With one out in the top of the first, graduate student Mary Katherine Tedder came up with a two-run home run out of center field on a 2-1 count, scoring freshman Sarah Squillace for the early advantage in Florence. Junior Merritt Cahoon followed one batter later with a double to left center to place senior Timberlyn Shurbutt on third. Shurbutt made her way home for a 3-0 lead in the next play after freshman Gwynnie Hornibrook executed a sacrifice fly to left field.  
 
Sarah Squillace drove in her second run of the year with an RBI double in the top of the second to extend Samford's lead, however, North Alabama made things interesting in the bottom half of the inning with Harley Stokes smacking a solo home run followed by a two-run homer from Haven Kirby to cut the lead down to one. The Lions eventually made it a tie game in the third inning after Maci Birdyshaw shutdown the Bulldogs at the plate and Meleah Hargett singled up the middle to score Hailey Jones after she advanced to third on a Samford fielding error. North Alabama recorded two additional runs for their first lead of the game before Lexie Harper popped up to Timberlyn Shurbutt on third to close out the inning.
 
The Bulldogs responded in the top of the fourth to cut North Alabama's lead down to one run after Amanda Briskin singled to center field to bring home pinch runner Lindsey Nelson. MK Tedder popped up to six to put the Lions back at the plate, but McKenzie Newcomb kept North Alabama scoreless in the bottom half of the inning with a line out and two ground outs. Samford would also face a three up, three down situation in the top of the fifth prior to North Alabama launching its third homer on the day with Georgia Land sending one out of left center for a two-run advantage.
 
The Lions capitalized once again with runners on second and third in the bottom of the next inning with Meleah Hargett tallying an RBI single to plate Sidney Bevis. Merritt Cahoon trimmed the deficit back down to two runs in the top of the seventh with an RBI single of her own with two outs on the board. North Alabama's Birdyshaw buckled down after that and forced a fly out from Hornibrook for an 8-6 final decision.
 
Freshman right-handed pitcher McKenzie Newcomb collected the loss for the Bulldogs after throwing 4.0 innings and allowing four earned runs in 23 at-bats. Freshman Jordyn Partain entered the circle in relief, throwing 2.0 innings for Samford while giving up one earned run after 11 batters faced.
 
GAME 2
Final: Samford 2 | North Alabama 3
 
Both teams would remain scoreless until the bottom of the third with UNA's Hailey Jones singling through the right side to advance Sidney Bevis to second and score Katie Killen. The Lions increased their lead in the very next play after Bevis rounded third and made it home off a Samford throwing.
 
Down 2-0 headed into the top of the fifth, the Bulldogs fouled and lined out before Kolby Holcombe sent a solo shot out of left field for her first home run on the season. This would be followed by a ground out to put the Lions back at the plate where Bevis recorded an RBI single to put the score a 3-1.
 
In the next inning, Mark Katherine Tedder came to the plate and blasted her second home run on the day with two outs and no runners on base. That's all Samford would be able to muster with a fly out to center field to close out the inning and no hits in the top of the seventh, dropping a 3-2 decision to North Alabama to wrap up the midweek matchup.
 
Sophomore transfer Jordan Walters received her second loss on the season for an overall record of 3-2 in the circle. In her 5.0 innings of work, Walters allowed just one earned run and one walk after 22 batters faced while retiring two Lions at the plate. Jordyn Partain once again entered the circle in relief for the Bulldogs, throwing 1.0 innings, giving up no runs and no hits in the bottom of the sixth.
 
UP NEXT:
The Samford softball team will compete in a three-day tournament (Mar. 4-6) hosted by the Ole Miss Rebels, featuring five games for the Bulldogs with a 10:30 a.m. start on Friday against Saint Louis at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.
 
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford softball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordSports (Facebook), @SamfordSB (Twitter), and @SamfordSB (Instagram).