GAME NOTES--SOCON TOURNAMENT (PDF)
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Samford University baseball team will open play in the SoCon Tournament by taking on the winner of the Western Carolina-VMI game Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. (CT) at Fluor Field in Greenville, S.C. The winner of Wednesday night's game will take on Mercer Friday at 11:30 a.m. (CT). The championship game of the tournament is scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT).
 

• Samford and Western Carolina have met 48 previous times, with Samford holding a 28-20 series lead. The Bulldogs won two-of-three games from the Catamounts this season.
• Samford and VMI had played 31 previous times, with the Bulldogs owning a 24-7 advantage in the series. Samford defeated the Keydets in two-of-three games this season.
• Samford finished the regular season with a mark of 26-27 overall and 12-9 in Southern Conference play. The Bulldogs won two-of-three games from Mercer over the weekend.    
• Western Carolina enters the tournament with a record of 25-29-1 overall and 9-11-1 in SoCon play. The Catamounts were swept in a three-game series by UNCG last weekend.
• VMI has a mark of 16-39 overall and 6-15 in league action. The Keydets were swept in a three-game series by Wofford over the weekend.
• Since joining the Southern Conference prior to the 2009 season, Samford has an all-time record of 28-14 in SoCon Tournament games. Samford has won three tournament titles, winning the event in 2012, 2018 and 2021.
• Samford has reached the finals in six of the 11 SoCon Tournaments in which the Bulldogs have played. Samford has a record of 3-3 in SoCon Tournament championship games.
• In their last 10 Southern Conference Tournament games, Samford has a mark of 8-2. Samford won the tournament last season, earning a win over Mercer (10-8) and two victories over Western Carolina (19-7 and 8-6).
• Samford has shown a flair for the dramatic in recent SoCon Tournament games. In the Bulldogs' three wins in the 2021 SoCon Tournament, two were won on walk-off home runs, including the championship game.
• This marks the sixth-straight year and eighth time in the last 10 seasons the SoCon Tournament has been held at Fluor Field. In the eight tournaments Samford has played in the facility, the Bulldogs have posted a record of 18-8.
• Samford's record against each team in the SoCon Tournament is: Appalachian State (3-1), Davidson (1-0), ETSU (1-1), Elon (0-2), Furman (5-0), Georgia Southern (1-2), Mercer (5-2), UNCG (1-1), Western Carolina (6-3) and Wofford (5-2).
• Samford is scheduled to start right-handed pitcher Jacob Cravey (4-3, 4.12 ERA) Wednesday night and right-hander Michael Ross (6-1, 3.28 ERA) Friday.
• This season, Samford has been led offensively by Stephen Klein, batting .333 with eight doubles, five home runs and 32 RBI. Colton Ledbetter leads the Bulldogs in doubles (15), home runs (14) and RBI (46).
• Four Samford players earned postseason honors from the Southern Conference on Tuesday. The Southern Conference coaches named pitcher Michael Ross and outfielder Colton Ledbetter second team All-SoCon, and they named second baseman Garrett Staton to the All-Freshman team. The SoCon media named Ledbetter first team All-SoCon, and first baseman Stephen Klein second team All-SoCon.
• Entering this week, Samford leads the SoCon in fielding percentage at .974.
• In addition to his success offensively, Samford first baseman Stephen Klein has been elite defensively this season. In 414 chances this season, Klein has committed just one error for an impressive .998 fielding percentage.    
• Colton Ledbetter has been particularly hot in Southern Conference play this season. In 21 games against conference foes, Ledbetter has hit .372 with seven doubles, eight home runs and 27 RBI.
• Will David has also seen significant success against conference teams this season. He batted .342 in conference contests with six doubles two home runs and 11 RBI. 
• Samford players rank in the top five in the Southern Conference in several statistical categories entering this week.  Stephen Klein ranks fifth in the league in on-base percentage (.455) and first in hit-by-pitches (16). Maurice Hampton Jr. ranks fifth in the SoCon in stolen bases (14). Garrett Staton ranks second in being hit by a pitch (15). Carson Hobbs ranks second in saves (9) and he ranks second in games finished (17). Jacob Cravey is tied for fifth in games started (14). Michael Ross ranks third in fewest hits allowed (57), while Jalon Long ranks fourth in the same category (59).

 
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