GAME NOTES--SAMFORD VS. THE CITADEL (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University baseball team will return to Southern Conference play with a three-game series at The Citadel this weekend. The teams are scheduled to play Friday, Saturday and Sunday, all at 12 p.m. (CT) and Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
 
Samford will start right-handed pitcher Michael Ross (6-0, 3.24 ERA) on Friday, right-hander Brooks Rice (3-3, 5.28 ERA) on Saturday and the Bulldogs have yet to name a starter for Sunday's series finale. The Citadel has listed its starters as right-handed pitcher Sam Swygert (3-1, 6.88 ERA), right-hander Landon Slemp (2-2, 5.94 ERA) and righty Ben Hutchins (3-3, 2.90 ERA).
 
Samford and The Citadel have met 42 previous times, with Samford owning a 30-12 series lead. Last season, the teams met in a three-game series at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Samford swept the series, winning the games by scores of 6-3, 10-4 and 8-2.
 
Samford has a record of 18-10 overall and 3-0 in SoCon play. Last weekend, the Bulldogs won two-of-three games from Longwood. Wednesday, Samford fell to 11th-ranked Alabama, 11-10.
 
So far this season, Samford has been led at the plate by Garrett Howe, batting .436 with 10 doubles, four home runs and 23 RBI. John Anderson is hitting .432 with seven doubles, six home runs and 30 RBI. Andrew Bennett is hitting .427 with eight doubles, two home runs and 17 RBI.
 
As a team, Samford currently leads the Southern Conference in home runs with 45 and ranks second in batting average at .317. Individually, Howe ranks second in the league in batting average (.436) and on-base percentage (.564) and is tied for second in both hits (44) and runs scored (40). John Anderson is fourth in the SoCon in batting average (.432), while Andrew Bennett ranks fifth (.427).
 
The Citadel enters the series with a record of 15-12 overall and 0-6 in Southern Conference play. The Bulldogs dropped a midweek game to Winthrop, 4-3 Tuesday night, and they were swept in a home series with Western Carolina last weekend.
 
The Citadel has been led so far this season by Javier Crespo, batting .383 with four doubles, a home run and 21 RBI. Wells Sykes has a .360 average with five doubles, four triples and 12 RBI. Travis Lott and Anthony Hausner share the team lead in home runs with four each, and Lott is the team leader in RBI with 23.
 
All three games can be seen live online via ESPN+. Fans can also follow the games online via live stats. For links to follow all of Samford's games this season, click on the following link: BASEBALL SCHEDULE.
 
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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).