March 11, 2003

Final Stats

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - - Marcus Taylor and Chad Cooper hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the eighth to lift Middle Tennessee State to a 7-4 win over Samford Tuesday afternoon at Reese Smith Field. MTSU 's B.J. Church and Chase Swing combined to strike out 11 Bulldogs.

Swing (1-1) earned the win for the Blue Raiders (5-6) while Stephen Artz (0-1) took the loss for Samford (4-12). Swing relieved Church in the sixth inning and struck out six in 3 1/3 innings. Church pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits while striking out five. Artz pitched 7 1/3 innings allowing seven runs on 10 hits. He had three strikeouts.

Nate Jaggers led Middle Tennessee at the plate going 3-for-3 with two RBI. Taylor finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI. Carroll went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI. Justin Klinger led Samford going 2-for-4 with one RBI.

After three scoreless innings for the Blue Raiders, MTSU pushed across the go ahead runs in the bottom of the eighth. Josh Archer singled and scored on Taylor's two-run bomb over the right center field wall. Cooper followed Taylor with a solo homer to left center give Middle Tennessee the lead for good.

The Blue Raiders took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on Jaggers RBI single plating Chad Cooper.

Samford threatened in the top of the third. Jeff Dils led off with a double down the right field line. With two outs, Sae Evans walked giving the Bulldogs runners on first and third, but B.J. Church struck out Robert Evans to end the inning.

Jaggers' single to left center scored Cooper once more pushing the Blue Raiders ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the third.

The Blue Raiders added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. After Marcus Taylor singled to right field, Brett Carroll hit a two-run home run over the left field wall making it 4-0.

The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, Dils reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on an error. Mario White singled to right field scoring Dils to make it 4-1.

Heath Owen's two-run home run with two outs in the top of the sixth pulled Samford within 4-3. The Bulldogs tied the game, 4-4, on Klinger's double to left center scoring Kip Snowden, who singled after Owen.

White, Sae Evans, Snowden, Owen and Dils each had one hit.

Samford and Middle Tennessee wrap up the midweek series Wednesday with another nine-inning game at 3 p.m. Fans can follow live game action via gametracker at samfordsports.com.