GAME NOTES--SOCON TOURNAMENT (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The second-seeded Samford University baseball team will open play in the Southern Conference Tournament Friday at 11:30 a.m. (CT) against either ETSU or Mercer. The Bears and the Bucs play Thursday, with Samford taking on the winner of that game.

Samford will start right-handed pitcher Michael Ross (12-0, 2.82 ERA) in Friday's game.  Ross leads the SoCon in both wins and ERA and was recently named the SoCon Pitcher of the Year. His 12 wins are tied for the most in program history. 
 
Samford and ETSU have met 34 previous times, with Samford owning an 18-16 series lead. The Samford-Mercer series is tied, 57-57. Samford won two-of-three games from both ETSU and Mercer this season.
 
Since joining the Southern Conference prior to the 2009 season, Samford has an all-time record of 34-17 in SoCon Tournament games. Samford has won four tournament titles, winning the event in 2012, 2018, 2021 and 2023. Samford has reached the finals in seven of the 13 SoCon Tournaments in which the Bulldogs have played.
 
Samford's record against each team in the SoCon Tournament is: Appalachian State (3-1), Davidson (1-0), ETSU (2-1), Elon (0-2), Furman (5-0), Georgia Southern (1-2), Mercer (6-2), UNCG (2-2), Western Carolina (7-3) and Wofford (7-4).
 
This season, Samford has a record of 34-20 overall and 14-7 in SoCon play. The Bulldogs lost two-of-three games to Wofford last weekend. Entering the tournament, Samford head coach Tony David is one win away from earning his 100th career win. He currently has a record of 99-74.

So far this season, Samford has been led at the plate by Garrett Howe, batting .380 with 17 doubles, eight home runs and 43 RBI. John Anderson is hitting .375 with 18 doubles, 13 home runs and 63 RBI. Andrew Bennett is batting .350 with 11 doubles, six home runs and 35 RBI. Garrett Staton is hitting .317 with 19 doubles, a team-high 18 home runs and a team-high 64 RBI.

As a team, Samford currently leads the SoCon in home runs with 89 and ranks third in batting average at .311. Individually, Ross leads the league in ERA (2.82), wins (12) and fewest runs allowed (31). Howe leads the SoCon in runs scored (73), and he ranks third in the league in hits (81). Staton leads the Southern Conference in doubles (20), while John Anderson ranks second in the same category (18).
 
ETSU has a record of 34-18 overall and 13-8 in SoCon play. The Bucs won two-of-three games from Miami of Ohio last weekend. ETSU has been led at the plate by Nick Iannantone, batting .384. Cameron Sisneros is hitting .360 with 15 doubles, 21 home runs and 78 RBI.
 
Mercer currently has a mark of 27-27 overall and 6-14 in SoCon play. The Bears dropped two-of-three games to The Citadel last weekend, and they defeated VMI, 19-14 in Wednesday's opening round of the SoCon Tournament. Mercer has been led at the plate by Parker Lester, batting .310 with 15 doubles, 13 home runs and 38 RBI, while Ty Dalley is hitting .303 with 15 doubles, 17 home runs and 62 RBI.
 
To follow all of the action at this week's SoCon Tournament, click on the following link: TOURNAMENT CENTRAL.
 
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