GAME NOTES--SAMFORD VS. LIBERTY (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University baseball team will host Liberty in a non-conference series this weekend at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The teams are scheduled to play Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 12 p.m., and all three games can be seen live on ESPN+.
 
The series will mark the first-ever meetings between Samford and Liberty in baseball. Sunday's game will be Kids Day at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Admission to Sunday's game is free, a total of 100 kids' lawn chairs will be given out and kids will be allowed to run the bases following Sunday's contest.
 
Samford will start right-handed pitcher Michael Ross (9-0, 2.70 ERA) on Friday and right-hander Noah Berry (0-0, 7.56 ERA) on Saturday. Samford has not named a starter for Sunday yet. Liberty will start right-handed pitcher Cole Hertzler (5-4, 3.98 ERA), left-handed pitcher Nick Moran (3-2, 4.50 ERA) and right-hander Todd Hudson (0-2, 6.10 ERA) on the mound this weekend.
 
Samford has a record of 26-14 overall and 10-2 in SoCon play. The Bulldogs dropped a 14-5 decision at 20th-ranked Alabama Tuesday night. Samford won two-of-three games at Western Carolina last weekend.
 
So far this season, Samford has been led at the plate by John Anderson, batting .403 with 13 doubles, nine home runs and 47 RBI. Garrett Howe is hitting .384 with 11 doubles, six home runs and 32 RBI. Andrew Bennett has a .354 batting average with nine doubles, two home runs and 22 RBI. Bennett has currently reached base in 32-straight games, the fourth-longest streak in program history.
 
As a team, Samford currently leads the SoCon in home runs with 64 and ranks third in batting average at .310. Individually, Howe leads the SoCon in runs scored (56), and Ross leads the league in ERA (2.70), wins (9) and opposing batting average (.209).
 
Liberty enters this weekend's series with a record of 17-23 overall and 9-6 in Conference USA. The Flames dropped a 14-4 decision at 14th-ranked Virginia Tuesday evening. Last weekend, Liberty was swept in a series at Western Kentucky.
 
Liberty has been led at the plate this season by Kane Kepley, batting .344 with 11 doubles, seven home runs and 25 RBI. Tanner Marsh is hitting .301 with 14 doubles, three homers and 15 RBI. Brayden Horton leads the Flames in home runs with 10.
 
All three games can be seen live on ESPN+. Fans can also follow all three games online via live stats. For links to follow all of Samford's games this season, click on the following link: BASEBALL SCHEDULE.
 
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
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).