BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford pitcher Michael Ross, making his first appearance since missing last season with an injury, tossed 6.0 sold innings, striking out nine batters to lead the Bulldogs to a 12-1, seven-inning win over Queens University of Charlotte Saturday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
With the win, Samford improved to 2-0 on the young season, and the win gave Samford the series win. Queens fell to 0-2 with the loss.
 
"Any time you go into the weekend, you'd love to win the series on a Saturday," Samford head coach Tony David said. "There's nothing in this program that we have a higher confidence in than when Michael Ross is on the mound. This was a big day for him after missing last year and being so good for us two years ago. He's worked harder than any human on earth to get back and to get where he is. We are excited about the win, and I'm excited he did well, but on a personal level I'm ecstatic for him because he has worked to get what he did today."
 
Ross (1-0) allowed just one hit and one run in earning the win on the mound. Garrett Staton went 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBI to lead Samford at the plate. John Anderson went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Lucas Steele homered, driving in three runs in the win.
 
For Queens, J.J. Sousa hit a solo home run for the Royals' lone run in the game. Derek Westfall (0-1) tossed 4.0 innings, surrendering four runs on five hits to take the loss on the mound.
 
With the game scoreless in the bottom of the third inning, Steele hit a three-run home run to right field to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. After Sousa homered for Queens in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 3-1, Staton delivered an RBI triple in the bottom of the fourth inning to push the score to 4-1.
 
Samford broke the game open with seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Andrew Bennett was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Angelo Prieto walked with the bases loaded and Jackson Harris hit a sacrifice fly for the first three runs of the inning. Staton then hit a two-run single, followed by an RBI single by Anderson. The inning's final run came home when Garrett Howe scored on a passed ball for an 11-1 lead.
 
The game's final run scored on a sacrifice fly by Staton in the bottom of the sixth inning to make the score 12-1. Queens failed to score in the top of the seventh inning, ending the game on the mercy rule.
 
Samford and Queens will conclude their series with a game Sunday. The first pitch is set for 1 p.m. from Joe Lee Griffin Field, and the game can be seen live on ESPN+.


 
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