BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford catcher Cade Carr drove in seven runs to lead the Bulldog baseball team to a 15-5, seven inning win over Valparaiso to complete the series sweep of the Beacons Sunday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
With the win, Samford improved its season record to 3-0. Valparaiso fell to 0-3 with the loss.
 
"The stuff that we've focused on as a group, we've done a really good job of," Samford head coach Tony David said. "This is a completely different team and, offensively, we're just going to have to do things in different ways and I thought we showcased that."
 
Carr went 2-for-3 with a grand slam and seven RBI to lead the Bulldogs at the plate. Parker McDonald and Gatlin Pitts each went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Jeffrey Ince went 2-for-4 with a double for the Bulldogs. John Malone (1-0) pitched 2.1 no-hit innings of relief to earn the win on the mound for the Bulldogs.
 
For Valparaiso, Thomas Cooper drove in two runs, going 1-for-2 at the plate. Ryan Maka went 2-for-3 for the Beacons. Spencer Boynton (0-1) pitched 1.1 innings, giving up eight runs on six hits to take the loss on the mound for Valparaiso.
 
Samford jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Ince scored on a wild pitch. Valparaiso tied the score in the top of the second inning when Austin Amburgey scored on a ground out by Kade Reinertson to knot the score at 1-1.
 
Samford broke the game open with nine runs in the bottom of the second inning. Carr drove in five runs in the inning with a grand slam and an RBI ground out. Pitts drove in two runs with a pair of RBI singles and Gus Gandy also had an RBI, while McDonald scored on an error as Samford built a 10-1 lead.
 
Samford added a run in the bottom of the third inning when Gandy scored on a ground out by Carr to make the score 11-1. Valparaiso plated four runs in the top of the fourth inning to cut the lead to 11-5. Copper drove in two runs with a double, while Cooper and Case Sullivan later scored on an error for the Beacons.
 
Samford scored two runs in the fifth inning on a two-run single by Carr to push the lead to 13-5. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Angelo Prieto walked with the bases loaded and then McDonald was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make the score 15-5, ending the game on the run rule.
 
Samford will next play at in-state rival Jacksonville State on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The game is set for a 6 p.m. start from Jacksonville, Ala.




 
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