GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Samford softball team took both games of the doubleheader from Furman University for eight-straight wins in Southern Conference play. The Bulldogs edged the Paladins 5-4 in game one before capturing their 11th shutout of the season with an 8-0 victory in game two.
 
BOX SCORE: GAME ONE (PDF)
BOX SCORE: GAME TWO (PDF)
 
GAME 1
Final: Samford 5 | Furman 4
 
Freshman McKenzie Newcomb threw her 15th complete game of the season, improving her overall win-loss record to 16-7. The Meridianville, Ala., native gave up four runs on six hits while striking out five Paladins at the plate after 29 batters faced. Sierra Tuffs received the loss for Furman, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and four walks in her 7.0 innings of work.
 
The Bulldogs wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first with junior Merritt Cahoon registering an RBI single in her first plate appearance of the day. The early lead would extend by two runs in the third frame after senior Timberlyn Shurbutt singled to left center to plate Mary Katherine Tedder and freshman Sarah Squillace.
 
However, Furman had an offensive burst in the bottom of the fourth, recording four runs on four hits behind the efforts of Emily Bartlett, Riley Ludlam, Chrissy Fleming, and Chloe Fabio. It would be leadoff home run from Bartlett to get the Paladins officially on the board followed by a two-bag shot from Ludlam who made it home two plays later off a Newcomb wild pitch. Fleming tied the game up with an RBI single before Furman took a 4-3 lead with Fabio singling through the left side in the next play to score Griffin.
 
Samford quickly responded in the top of the fifth with Mary Katherine Tedder knocking a ball straight up the middle for her second hit of the game to score freshman McKayla Cothran on second. McKenzie Newcomb followed with a strong performance in the circle, retiring the side in back-to-back innings until the Bulldogs found their winning run in the top of the seventh. Furman's first baseman, Emily Bartlett, was unable to cleanly field a ball hit by Shurbutt, giving McKayla Cothran the opportunity to make it home off the error for a 5-4 victory at Pepsi Stadium.
 
GAME 2
Final: Samford 8 | Furman 0
 
Samford outhit the Paladins 9-1 led by freshman Gwynnie Hornibrook with three hits in four at-bats, while freshman pitcher Jordyn Partain earned her fifth win in the circle. Partain limited Furman to just one hit throughout the seven innings while registering four strikeouts after 22 batters faced.
 
A big fourth inning led the Bulldogs to an 8-0 win over Furman in game two of Friday's doubleheader. Senior Kolby Holcombe broke open the scoring in the top of the fourth after smacking her sixth double of the season to plate freshman Kedzie Howe with two outs on the board. Amanda Briskin and Sarah Squillace followed up with a single and walk, respectively, before Holcombe made it back home off a wild pitch from Furman's Lauralee Scott.
 
The inning continued with Samford's fifth triple of the season, courtesy of freshman McKayla Cothran, after she laced a ball down the right field line to score Briskin and Squillace. One more run was added to the board before heading into the bottom half of the inning with senior Mary Katherine Tedder firing off her 16th double of the season to bring home Cothran for a 5-0 lead.
 
Jordyn Partain continued to shut down the Paladins in the circle, retiring nine-straight batters before heading into the top of the seventh. There in the final frame, Samford tabbed three insurance runs with Merritt Cahoon and Timberlyn Shurbutt making it home off Furman's third error of the game prior to Kolby Holcombe executing a sacrifice fly to plate designated hitter Gwynnie Hornibrook for an 8-0 victory to remain undefeated in SoCon play.
 
UP NEXT:
The Samford softball team will close out its series against the Paladins of Furman on Saturday, April 15 at 11 a.m. with a single game at Pepsi Stadium.
 
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