BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford softball team hit the field today atop the Southern Conference standings alone as they looked to finish off a home series sweep of Furman. They were unable to come up with the late-inning magic they had in game two yesterday as they fell to the Paladins 6-1 today. Samford's record falls to 30-18 with the defeat and they move to 11-4 in league play.

The Bulldogs gave the ball to Jordyn Partain in the series finale after she earned the complete game win in game one yesterday against Furman. She got off to a strong start again today as she cruised through the first three innings of the game allowing just one single and one walk. Her teammates gave her the lead in the bottom half of the third inning as they went through the order for the second time. Joi Hubbard reached on an error before stealing second base, her 27th bag of the season, before being brought home on a two-out single by Olivia Shaw to give Samford the 1-0 lead.

Partain ran into her first bit of trouble in the fourth, as she issued a leadoff walk and allowed three singles which allowed two runs to come home as Furman jumped on top 2-1. The visitors loaded the bases with just one out in the top of the fifth but Partain did well to limit the damage as she allowed just one unearned run on a sacrifice fly.

Offensively, the Dogs loaded the bases in the fourth but failed to come up with the big hit as they left 11 runners on base in the game. The Paladins got insurance runs in the top of the seventh when they hit a three-run blast off Partain which made the Samford deficit 6-1. The Samford ace's day came to an end after 6.1 innings, allowing nine hits, and six runs, five earned. She was replaced by Olivia Treece who came in and recorded the final two outs. The Bulldogs got two aboard in the home half of the seventh but they were left stranded as they fell 6-1.

Ella Nelson and Shaw each had two hits for the Bulldogs on the day as Shaw now has 20 doubles on the season, leading the country but as a team, the Dogs failed to come up with the timely hit. 

Samford moves back into a tie for first place with UNCG with an 11-4 record in conference play. The Bulldogs are back in action next weekend as they hit the road to face a good Chattanooga team that sits in third place in the SoCon, just one game back of the tie atop the league.




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