April 23, 2002

Box Score

RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky's Brad Schmittou struck out nine through nine innings and the Colonels pounded out 15 hits on their way to a 9-4 win over Samford in college baseball action Tuesday afternoon at Turkey-Hughes Field. Samford dropped to 21-21 overall while EKU improved to 11-27.

Schmittou (1-0) allowed only two earned runs on nine hits to pick up his first win of the season. Freshman right-hander Alan Bryan (3-6) was stuck with the loss after lasting three innings and giving up four runs, three earned, on eight hits. Samford committed four errors which led to two unearned runs.

Trailing 6-0 in the eighth, Robert Evans hit a solo home run to right field for his seventh homer of the season, pulling Samford within 6-1. But, the Colonels scored three runs on three hits and one Bulldog error in the bottom of the inning to extend their lead to 9-1.

Samford added three runs in the ninth. Major Allred led off with a double to left center and scored on Heath Owen's fielder's choice cutting it to 9-2. After Michael Collins reached on an error by the right fielder, Kip Snowden doubled to center field to score Owen and Collins, bringing the Bulldogs within 9-4.

EKU scored one run in each of the first four innings. Chris Clark's solo home run to right field gave the Colonels a 4-0 lead in the fourth. Samford threatened to cut into the lead in the top of the fifth. Eric Hollis reached on an error with one out. Sae Evans then singled to give the Bulldogs two base runners with one out. Schmittou struck out Eli Iorg but walked Joe Denson, loading the bases with two outs. Schmittou got Cory Sumner to strike out to get out of the jam.

Allred and Sae Evans each finished with two hits to lead Samford while Robert Evans, Grant Caldwell, Josh Rhodes, Denson and Snowden each added one hit.

Will Whisenant went 3-for-4 with one RBI to lead EKU.

Samford and EKU conclude their two-game series at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Turkey-Hughes Field.