April 8, 2008

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford's Bear Burnett scored from second base on a Troy error in the bottom of the 11th inning to lift the Bulldog baseball team to a 4-3 win over the Trojans Tuesday night at Joe Lee Griffin Field.

"This was a well-played game by both teams," Samford head coach Casey Dunn said. "I thought they played extremely well defensively. They pitched well, and they got some hits, and I thought we did the same."

Samford (18-10) was led at the plate by Michael Marseco and Marcus Rodriguez with two hits each. Bill Whitehead hit a two-run home run in a 1-for-4 performance. Burnett drove in a run as well as scoring the game-winning run.

Mark Lewallyn earned his first win in a Samford uniform, pitching the final inning, allowing no hits. Lewallyn was one of five pitchers used on the night for Samford.

Troy (20-13) was led at the plate by Bart Pettus, going 2-for-4. Rob Brown came in to pitch the 11th inning and gave up the one unearned run to take the loss for the Trojans.

Burnett led the bottom of the 11th inning off with a walk. Pinch-hitter Stephen Ballard then moved Burnett to second base with a sacrifice bunt. After John Morgan was intentionally walked, pinch-hitter Bo Smith hit a ground ball that rolled under Troy second baseman Adam Bryant's glove, allowing Burnett to score the winning run from second base.

Troy scored a run in the first inning and another in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead. Michael Precise hit a home run to left field for the run in the first inning. Beau Brooks and Lance Miller drove in a run each in the fourth inning for a three-run Troy lead.

Samford put its first runs on the board in the fifth inning when Whitehead hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field with Rodriguez on base to cut the Troy lead to 3-2.

The Bulldogs tied the score at 3-3 with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Burnett grounded out to second base to drive in Wayne Miller, who led the inning off with an infield singe.

Troy had runners at the corners with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but the Bulldogs turned a double play to get out of the inning. Neither team was able to score again until Burnett scored in the bottom of the 11th inning.

Samford will play at UAB Wednesday night. The game is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start from UAB's Young Memorial Field. The game can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/groups/wvsu/.