BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford softball team had its home opener tonight as they began play at their own tournament which continues tomorrow and Sunday which includes UAB and Indiana State. The Bulldogs opened with the Blazers tonight and won in dramatic fashion as they walked it off in the eighth inning 6-5. The win moves Samford to 3-2 early in the season while UAB falls to 4-2. 

Jordyn Partain took the ball for the Bulldogs for the third time this season and she was dominant early on as she went the first four innings without surrendering a hit to the Blazers. The Bulldogs had a handful of baserunners early, including three singles in the first inning, but were unable to break through. 

The scoring began as Partain returned to the circle for her fifth inning of work where she was rudely greeted by a leadoff homerun to left field as the visitors struck first. They tacked on two more runs in the inning but Samford was able to scratch across a run in the bottom of the inning as a McKayla Cothran double to deep center field plated one.

UAB added two more runs in the sixth inning off Partain as she tried to go through the lineup for the third time. Luckily for the Dogs, as they faced their biggest deficit of the night they were able to come up with their best rally of the game. Joi Hubbard started it off with a double, followed by a hit-by pitch to Katie Campbell, and a walk to Olivia Shaw to load the bases with no outs. Grier Bruce laced a double down the right field line that scored two runs to make the game 5-3. Ella Nelson drew a bases-loaded pinch-hit walk to score another and the Dogs tied the game on a Cothran sac fly.

The game went into extra innings as Partain's day came to an end as her final line read seven innings, five hits given up, five runs, four earned while striking out six UAB batters. She was relieved by Sara Bond who was able to get out of the eighth unharmed despite a runner starting the innings on second in extra innings. 

The Bulldogs took advantage in the bottom of the frame as Bruce bunted the ghost runner over to third and after hit by pitch, Katie Hart played the hero as she singled up the middle and scored Champion as the Bulldogs came away with the 6-5 victory. The win marks the first home victory for Megan Curry at Samford as head coach.

The Dogs are back in action tomorrow for two games as they face UAB again at 1:30 p.m. and host Indiana State at 4 p.m.



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