GameTracker For Game 2

GameTracker For Game 3

Baseball Game Notes In PDF Format

April 4, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford baseball team will travel to Jacksonville State for a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m., and a single game Sunday, also at 1 p.m.

The Bulldogs are currently 16-8 overall and 5-0 in OVC play after winning, 11-6, over Georgia State Wednesday afternoon. Samford's 5-0 conference start is tied for its best start to OVC play after five games. The 2006 team, which won the OVC regular-season championship, started 5-0 before falling in the final game of a series at Jacksonville State.

Samford is led by junior shortstop Michael Marseco, batting .400 with 38 hits and 27 RBI. Senior third baseman Michael Rutledge is hitting .371 with 28 RBI. Freshman second baseman Michael Johnson is batting .360.

Jonathan Stephens (4-0, 1.93 ERA) is scheduled to start for Samford on the mound in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. Andrew Jones (3-0, 3.80 ERA) will start the second game for the Bulldogs. Sunday's starter has not been decided.

The Gamecocks enter the weekend with a record of 11-15 overall and 4-2 in OVC play after winning two of three games at Austin Peay last weekend.

JSU is led offensively by Steven Leach and Clay Whittemore, each hitting .340 on the season. Ben Tootle (4-2, 5.40 ERA) has been the leader of the Gamecock pitching staff. Tootle will start game two for JSU, while Mitch Miller will start the first game. JSU's Sunday starter has also not been decided.

In Samford's win over Georgia State on Wednesday, Marcus Rodriguez was 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. Bear Burnett went 3-for-3 with an RBI, and Johnson was 3-for-5. Grant Sides pitched 3.0 innings in relief, giving up no runs on three hits to pick up the win.

All three games this weekend can be heard locally on WVSU-FM 91.1, or worldwide on the internet at www.samford.edu/groups/wvsu/.