Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In front of its home crowd, the Samford softball team locked in back-to-back wins over Colgate to secure the series win after edging the Raiders 4-3 before freshman Sarah Squillace walked it off in game two for an 8-7, extra-inning victory.
 
BOX SCORE: GAME ONE (PDF)
BOX SCORE: GAME TWO (PDF)
 
GAME 1
Final: Colgate 3 | Samford 4
 
The Raiders jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after knocking in three runs on two hits in the top of the first. Colgate's Jillian Herbst fired a solo shot out of center field at the leadoff spot prior to Taylor Ludwick scoring off a Samford wild pitch and Morgan Farrah stealing home. In the bottom half of the inning, senior Timberlyn Shurbutt cut into the Raider's lead after she doubled down the left field line to plate freshman Sarah Squillace on second.
 
It would soon become a one-run game in the bottom of the third with Shurbutt finding her second hit on the day, bringing home Squillace once again. With two outs on the board, senior Kolby Holcombe stepped up to the plate and launched one out to center field for a two RBI double to put Samford in front, 4-3.
 
Over the next 3.5 innings, the Bulldogs and Raiders traded three hits each, but all runners would find themselves stranded on base for a 4-3 game one final. Freshman Jordyn Partain made her seventh start in the circle, putting in 3.0 innings of work for Samford where she allowed three earned runs on four hits. Right-handed pitcher McKenzie Newcomb entered in the top of the fourth and secured her eighth win of the season (8-6) after giving up just three hits and zero runs. The Meridianville, Ala. native retired four Raiders at the plate after 15 batters faced in the circle.
 
GAME 2
Final: Colgate 7 | Samford 8
 
It was another quick start for Colgate in game two of the series, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. After back-to-back Raider hits, Elizabeth Nitka singled through the left side to score Rachel Carnery, which was followed by a two RBI single from Jillian Herbst for her fifth hit of the day.
 
Colgate added on another run in the top of the fourth before senior Timberlyn Shurbutt responded for Samford in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run bomb to put the score at 4-2. The home run marked the Alexandria, Ala., native's fourth of the season and 24th of her college career.
 
In the top of the next inning, the Raiders distanced themselves from the Bulldogs with a three-run home run after Steph Jacoby launched one out of left field to score Adrienne Nardone and Claire Whalen. It wouldn't be enough to keep the Bulldogs down with Samford rallying in the bottom of the fifth, plating five runs on three hits to knot the game at 7-7. With bases loaded and no outs on the board, freshman Kedzie How kickstarted the comeback after she drove in pinch runner McKayla Cothran with a ground out to first base. The Bulldogs tallied on another run in the next play to put the score at 7-4 with Sarah Squillace recording an RBI single.
 
The gap continued to close after Abigail Dorsett found her first hit of the day to load the bases once again for Samford before Mary Katherine Tedder battled at the plate to walk in Grier Bruce. It would be a tie game in the next play after the Bulldogs capitalized off a Colgate throwing error to bring in two additional runs.
 
The sixth and seventh would see no runs for either team, leading to an extra inning battle at the Samford Softball Stadium. The war would be won in the bottom of the eighth after Sarah Squillace sent one out to center field to score Amanda Briskin who beat out the throw back home to lock in the series win over the Raiders.
 
Freshman McKenzie Newcomb returned to the circle once again and earned her ninth win for an overall record of 9-6. She gave up just one earned run on three hits in her 4.0 innings of work, striking out six batters for a total of 82 on the season.

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UP NEXT:
The Samford softball team will close out its series against Colgate with a single game on Saturday, Mar. 19. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at the Samford Softball Stadium.
 
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).