Samford University Athletics

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The Samford softball team returned to action this afternoon as they took on Chattanooga in a SoCon Tournament elimination game. The Bulldogs fell behind 5-1 early but stormed back to capture an 8-6 victory and advance to the SoCon Championship game against UNCG tomorrow at 9 a.m.

The Bulldogs couldn't have asked for a better start in their afternoon game as leadoff hitter Brandy Phillips left the yard for the 12th time this season to put Samford ahead. Reese Hickey got the start for the Dogs and cruised through the first two innings of work. She ran into trouble in the third, allowing five runs on five hits as the tournament hosts captured the momentum in the elimination game.

In her first at-bat of the game, Olivia Shaw left the bases loaded, but she allowed Samford to slowly chip away in the 4th as Player of the Year Olivia Shaw delivered a two-RBI double down the left-field line to make it a 5-3 game. Makinley Turner entered in relief in the 4th and went the rest of the way, stifling the Mocs bats. 

Samford tied the game in the fifth as Katie Hart's grounder found its way into right field on an error and scored pinch runners Madi Davis and Olivia Trout. The Dogs scored for the third straight inning in the 6th, when Addison Smith tripled to right field and drove in two as Samford retook the lead 7-5. Brantley Drake drove in Smith for an insurance run as the Bulldogs went up three.

Chattanooga didn't go down quietly in the seventh as they led off the frame with a solo homer and then loaded the bases. Turner was able to keep the ball in the infield and retire the side as Samford captured the 8-6 win to move on to Sunday's championship game.

Both teams had ten hits in the game, but Samford had the majority of the chances, leaving nine on base. Shaw and Smith delivered the biggest hits of the game, but Brooke Wildes and Hart each had multi-hit games as eight of the starting nine had a base knock for the Bulldogs.

The Spartans and the Bulldogs have met four times this season so far, with UNCG leading the series 3-1. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. Central time as the top two seeds in the league compete for a berth into the NCAA Tournament. The game can be seen on ESPN+ with a link and live stats found here.

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