Baseball Falls to Gardner-Webb - SAMFORD OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Junior lefty Joey Siak pitched his third complete-game shutout in Atlantic Sun Conference play and Gardner-Webb scored nine runs off seven Samford errors to win the final game of the series, 9-0, Sunday afternoon at Varsity Field. It was the second time this season that Samford (10-25, 5-16 A-Sun) had been shut out.

Siak (6-2) scattered eight hits while striking out five for GWU (22-15, 12-9 A-Sun. Ehren Wassermann (4-6) suffered the loss for Samford. Wassermann allowed only three earned runs in 4 1/3 innings pitched and struck out seven. Gardner-Webb out-hit Samford, 9-8, in the contest. Michael Collins led the Bulldogs going 2-for-3 and finished the series 6-for-9 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Sam Bradford got things started offensively for the Runnin' Bulldogs in the bottom of the third, belting an RBI double to right center to drive in David Futrelle for a 1-0 lead.

Gardner-Webb put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of three hits and a pair of Samford errors to plate four runs. Chip Watts provided the big blow, rapping a two-run double to right center to score Clint Abernathy and Jim Glueckert for a 3-0 lead, and Jonathan McKoy followed with an RBI single through the right side to push the lead to 4-0. After McKoy stole second and reached third on a Samford throwing error, Sammy Styers drove him in with a sacrifice fly to left for a 5-0 margin.

The host Bulldogs plated another pair of runs in the fifth after a hit batter and two throwing errors resulted in Wasserman being chased from the game with his squad trailing 7-0. Gardner-Webb's bats erupted again in the sixth, as Bradford drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to deep right after a pair of singles by Styers and Futrelle led off the inning. Jay Bennett followed with a double to left, but Futrelle was called out at the plate to keep the score 8-0 with two outs. Bennett scored from second on another Samford miscue for the final margin.

Samford managed three pinch-hit singles in the top of the eighth with two outs, but Siak got some defensive help to preserve the shutout. After David Henry and Justin Worthington reached with consecutive two-out singles, Mario White rapped another single to center field. Bradford gunned down Henry at the plate to end the inning.

Bradford finished the game 2-for-2 and two RBI. Futrelle went 2-for-4.

Samford returns to the road Wednesday when they travel to Tim Parenton's alma mater Mississippi State. First-pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.