BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University softball team will open Southern Conference play on the road with the Bulldogs traveling to Macon, Ga. to compete against the Bears of Mercer University for a weekend series (April 2-3) at Sikes Field.
 
Samford currently holds an overall record of 15-14, while Mercer enters competition at 8-24, 0-3 (SoCon). While the Bulldogs have yet to start conference play, the Bears have already suffered three losses with UNC Greensboro sweeping Mercer this past week. Junior Diamond Williams leads the Bears offensively with a .333 batting average after tallying 24 hits in 72 at-bats. The Georgia native has locked in 11 runs, four doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 11 RBIs.
 
After 29 contests, Samford is hitting .265 as a team with 12 home runs, 109 runs scored on 208 hits and 92 RBIs. The team is slugging .358, holds a .333 on-base clip and has swiped 24 bases on 31 attempts, led by senior Amanda Briskin with eight on the season.
 
COVERAGE:
 
All the action will be available to watch on ESPN+, while fans can also follow along via live stats. Coverage links are available on the Samford softball schedule page, https://samfordsports.com/sports/softball/schedule.
 
SERIES HISTORY:

• The SoCon rivals have taken the field together 72 times with the Bulldogs holding a 41-31 series advantage. Last season, Samford secured the series win over Mercer after posting 10-0 and 6-4 wins over the Bears.

 
BULLDOGS TO WATCH:

• Freshman pitcher McKenzie Newcomb leads Samford in the circle with a 2.29 ERA after making 20 total appearances and 15 starts on the season. The Meridianville, Ala., native has thrown a complete 106.0 innings, recording 97 strikeouts while giving up just 27 earned runs for an overall record of 11-7.
• Graduate student Mary Katherine Tedder ranks third in the Southern Conference in batting average with a .369 clip after posting 31 hits in 84 at bats this season. The Texas transfer also shares the top spot in conference doubles with UNC Greenboro's Maycin Brown with both players logging 11 two-bag hits from behind the plate.
• Freshman Sarah Squillace continues to be an offensive standout for the Bulldogs with a team-high 35 hits on the season, ranking third in the SoCon. The leadoff hitter has started in all 29 games for Samford, locking in 21 runs and three doubles while driving in seven runs.

 
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).