CULLOWHEE, N.C. - The Samford softball team was back in action today as they returned to Southern Conference play at Western Carolina. The Bulldogs dominated the Catamounts as their hot bats took down the home side 14-0 and 14-4 in the double header today to claim a series victory. Samford's record moves to 22-14 with the two wins and 4-1 in SoCon play.

GAME ONE: Samford - 14 | WCU - 0

The Bulldogs started the day with a lopsided victory over Western Carolina. The pitchers looked to be in control the first time through the order, but the Bulldog bats woke up in a big way when they saw the WCU starter for the second time. The Dogs scored five runs in the third inning as Joi Hubbard homered to bring home Ella Nelson and Sarah Squillace followed by an Olivia Shaw blast which scored McKayla Cothran. 

Samford put the game away in the fourth inning as they scored eight more runs in the frame on seven hits. Cothran delivered a bases loaded double which brought home two runs and Katie Campbell blistered a single to bring in another run. Grier Bruce left the yard for a three-run homer which made the game 12-0 before the rally was capped with a near home run from Squillace which resulted in a double that scored Linsey Hargis.

Jordyn Partain got all of the run support and more that a starting pitcher could dream of, and she was nearly as dominant as her lineup's performance as she went four innings and allowed just three runs to earn the win and move to 9-8 on the season. Karley Fuller retired the side in order in the fifth as the Bulldogs wrapped up the 14-0 win.

The Dogs outhit the home side 14-3 in the game led by a three-hit game from Squillace, 3-for-3. Cothran, Shaw, and Campbell all had multi-hit games in the heart of the Bulldogs lineup and the trio each had two RBIs while Hubbard and Bruce each drove in three runs.

GAME TWO: Samford - 14 | WCU - 4

After the hot-hitting start to the series, the Bulldogs didn't slow down in the second game of the three-game set. They had 13 hits in game two and scored runs in each of the first four innings to take control of the contest. Katie Campbell hit a sacrifice fly in the first to score Joi Hubbard. Samford got three runs in the second as Ella Nelson homered to bring home Logan Champion and Sarah Squillace. 

The Dogs continued to use the long ball as they had one of the best offensive days of the season when Linsey Hargis scored Campbell and Olivia Shaw on her three-run blast and take a 7-0 lead thru three innings. The freshman Nelson hit a solo homer in the fourth, her second of the game, after having just one on the season prior to today. 

While the Bulldog bats were doing their part, once again the Samford starting pitcher was shutting out the WCU lineup. In game two, it was Olivia Treece who shut down the Catamount lineup until they got to her in the fifth inning for the first time. Treece went five innings, scattering nine hits, and allowed three runs, all in the fifth inning which was her final frame of work. WCU added another run in the sixth off Karley Fuller before but the Bulldogs were in complete control and not quite done scoring on the day yet.

Samford rallied in the top of the seventh inning for six hits and six runs as the first five batters all reached base, four singles, and a hit by pitch before the star of the night left the yard again. Nelson hit her third homer of the game, this time a grand slam, as she made the game 14-4. The freshman middle infielder went 3-for-4 on the night with three homers and eight runs batted in.

Nelson's breakout performance wasn't the only bat in the lineup contributing as nine different Dogs had a hit in game two. Cothran and Shaw each had multi-hit games again while Hargis drove in three runs. Treece earned the win in the circle to move to 5-1 on the season.

After a 2-0 start to the series, the Dogs secured their second straight series win to open SoCon play. They will look for the sweep tomorrow as they play game three of the set with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and live stats can be found here.

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