April 20, 2002

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Junior right-hander Ehren Wassermann pitched his first complete game and Samford rallied from a 1-0 deficit to win 4-2 in the second game, splitting the doubleheader with Jacksonville St at Joe Lee Griffin Field Saturday afternoon. Jax St. won game one, 5-1. The Bulldogs (21-20) won two of three games in the Atlantic Sun Conference series and improved to 8-13 in the A-Sun while the Gamecocks fell to 16-24 overall and 2-15 in the conference.

Wassermann (4-2) gave up only two runs on seven hits in seven innings while striking out two. Lucas McCollum (2-5) took the loss for Jax St. as he gave up three runs on five hits.

Trailing 1-0 in the second game, Samford scored three runs in the fourth. Sae Evans drove in Major Allred, who singled to lead off the inning, to tie the game at 1. After Eli Iorg and Sae Evans stole second and third respectively, Iorg scored on an error giving Samford a 2-1 lead. Joe Denson then singled to score Sae Evans giving the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead.

It looked like Samford would add two more runs to its lead in the fifth. After Cory Sumner singled through the right side and advanced on Robert Evans sacrifice bunt, Eric Hollis hit an apparent home run to left field. The ball got stuck in the fence and JSU's left fielder Taylor Tallbot retrieved it and threw out Hollis at third. Sumner scored on the play to make it 4-1.

JSU last run came in the top of the sixth on Travis Suereth solo home run to center field.

Hollis and Sae Evans each finished the game 2-for-3 while Sumner, Robert Evans, Major Allred, Eli Iorg and Joe Denson each had one hit.

In the first game, Heith Comer went 3-for-4 with one RBI and Steve Shippey tossed his second complete game of the season, allowing just one run and scattering nine hits over two innings to give JSU the 5-1 win over the Bulldogs. Freshman right-hander Eli Iorg (0-1) took the loss after giving up three runs, one earned, on four hits in just two innings. Scott Fowler relieved Iorg, allowing one earned run on six hits and striking out three through five innings.

The Gamecocks jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Comer led off with a single up the middle followed by a single by Andrew Tarver to left field. Evan Conley reached on a Samford throwing error, which allowed Comer to score. Travis Suereth's RBI fielder's choice scored Tarver and Brian Haskins had a RBI single to score Tarver and give JSU the early lead.

Samford cut the lead to 3-1 in the fourth inning after Robert Evans' RBI single through the right side, but the Gamecocks plated a pair of runs in the seventh inning for the final margin.

Tarver and Talbot each finished with a pair of hits in the first game as JSU finished with 10 hits. Cory Sumner and Wasserman finished with two hits each for the Bulldogs.

Samford hits the road next for two midweek nonconference games when the Bulldogs travel to face future OVC foe Eastern Kentucky Tuesday and Wednesday. Both games are set to begin at 3 p.m. The Bulldogs return home next weekend for an Atlantic Sun Conference series with Georgia St.