SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Samford softball team continued Southern Conference Tournament play as they faced Mercer this afternoon in an elimination game. The loser would head home while the winner would head to the championship against Chattanooga. The Bulldogs fell behind early and could never get back level with the Bears as they added more runs late and Samford fell 13-5. The Dogs end their season with a 33-23 record.

The Bears have been setting SoCon Tournament offensive records throughout the week and their hot bats continued today against a worn-down Bulldog staff late in the bracket. Karley Fuller was effective in the close of the game this morning against Chattanooga and got the ball to start this afternoon but she struggled with her command from the jump. She walked four of the first six batters she faced, including walking in a run before being replace by Sara Bond. The first batter the junior faced left the yard for a grand slam as the Bears jumped out to a 5-0 lead on just the one hit.

Bond retired the side in order in the second before surrendering a solo shot to start the third inning which ended her day and brought on Olivia Trout with Samford down 6-0. After being hit with an early flurry, the Bulldogs found their footing the second time through the order. Katie Campbell singled to score McKayla Cothran and Sarah Squillace to make the score 6-2. Grier Bruce doubled off the top of the wall, just missing a two-run homer, but she and Campbell were left stranded. 

A hit-by-pitch and three singles off Trout gave the Bears their seventh run of the game in the fourth inning. It appeared the Samford batters were finding their timing as Addison Smith pinch hit and doubled to score Linsey Hargis and Ella Nelson in the home half of the fourth. Olivia Shaw hit one deep off the left field wall that was another narrow home run miss but it resulted in a double that scored Smith and Samford was right back in the game down just 7-5. 

Trout's day came to an end in the fifth as Mercer added another run and Jordyn Partain became the fourth pitcher of the game for the Dogs. She got out of the jam in the fifth but gave up three unearned runs in the sixth and two unearned runs on her own throwing error in the seventh as Mercer pulled away 13-5. It was a theme to the day as Samford gave up 10 unearned runs combined in their two matchups today.

The Bulldogs managed 10 hits on the afternoon as Nelson, Bruce, and Hargis each had two-hit games. Campbell led the way with two RBIs, her 59th and 60th of the season. 

The Samford season comes to an end with 33 victories ing the first year with head coach Megan Curry. The Bulldogs had four players named to All-SoCon Team and two named to the All-Freshman Team.

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