GAME NOTES--SAMFORD VS. MERCER (PDF)
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University baseball team will host Mercer in a pivotal three-game SoCon series, with the teams set to play Thursday at 4 p.m., Friday at 2 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. at Joe Lee Griffin Field. All three games can be seen live on ESPN+.
 

• This series is big for seeding in next week's Southern Conference Tournament. Samford enters the week with a mark of 24-26 overall and 10-8 in the Southern Conference. The Bulldogs sit in third place, just a game behind Mercer. Samford dropped two-of-three games at The Citadel over the weekend, and then fell to No. 20 Auburn, 8-4, Tuesday evening. 
• Mercer has a record of 38-14 overall and 11-7 in league play. The Bears took two-of-three games from VMI over the weekend and dropped a 21-7 contest to Georgia Southern Tuesday evening.   
• Samford is scheduled to start right-handed pitcher Jacob Cravey (3-3, 4.13 ERA) Thursday and right-hander Michael Ross (5-1, 3.55 ERA) Friday. Samford has not named a starter for Saturday's game yet.
• Mercer is set to start right-handed pitcher Ryan Lobus (5-4, 4.29 ERA) Thursday, right-hander Josh Farmer (6-1, 4.47 ERA) Friday and right-hander Josh Harlow (6-2, 6-2, 5.04 ERA) Saturday.
• Samford and Mercer have met 85 previous times, with Mercer holding a 46-39 series lead. The teams met four times last season. Mercer won two-of-three in the regular season series, but Samford captured a 10-8 win in the first round of the SoCon Tournament.
• Entering this weekend, Samford leads the Southern Conference in fielding percentage at .973.
• Stephen Klein currently leads Samford and ranks eighth in the SoCon in batting with a .343 average to go along with his eight doubles, five home runs and 31 RBI. Colton Ledbetter leads the team and is tied for sixth in the SoCon in homers with 13, and he leads the squad in RBI with 42.
• Mercer is led at the plate by Bill Knight, batting .339 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs and a SoCon-best 57 RBI. Collin Price is batting .326 with a SoCon-leading 18 homers and 56 RBI.
• Samford players rank in the top five in the Southern Conference in several statistical categories entering this week.  Stephen Klein ranks third in the league in on-base percentage (.464) and first in hit-by-pitches (16). Maurice Hampton Jr. is tied for fifth in the SoCon in stolen bases (13). Garrett Staton ranks second in being hit by a pitch (15). Carson Hobbs is tied for first in the league in saves (9) and he ranks second in games finished (16). Jacob Cravey and Jalon Long are both tied for fifth in games started (13). Michael Ross ranks fifth in fewest hits allowed (53).

 
NEXT UP

• The Southern Conference Tournament will begin next Wednesday in Greenville, S.C.

 
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• 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).