April 26, 2002

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford will host Georgia St. this weekend in a key Atlantic Sun Conference Series at Joe Lee Griffin Field. Friday's game is set for 6 p.m. while Saturday's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m.

The Bulldogs dropped two games on the road earlier in the week to future OVC foe Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels defeated the Bulldogs 9-4 and 7-2. Senior designated hitter Major Allred and junior center fielder Sae Evans each had two hits in the first meeting while junior right fielder Robert Evans was the only Bulldog to finish with multiple hits in game two, going 3-for-4 at the plate. Robert Evans and Heath Owen each homered in the two-game series. The Bulldogs enter this conference weekend trying to stay alive in the hunt for the conference tournament berth. Samford has two conference series left after this weekend's with the Panthers.

Georgia St. enters the Atlantic Sun Conference series trying to secure a spot in the tournament. The Panthers are currently in sixth place with three conference series remaining after this weekend. Georgia St. lost two close nonconference games earlier this week to Birmingham-Southern in a battle of the Panthers. BSC defeated GSU, 6-4 and 4-3. Senior first baseman Josh Vandiver led the Panthers going 4-for-9 with two runs scored and two RBI. Vandiver leads the team with 49 RBI and 11 home runs while hitting .310. Dustin Phillips is the Panthers other top guy. Phillips leads the team hitting .353 with 30 RBI and six home runs.

Junior left-hander Robert Evans (2-0, 5.04 ERA) will make his second start of the season Friday night. Freshman right-hander Scott Fowler (2-3, 6.00 ERA) will get the call in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader. The Panthers will counter with Ronnie Robinson (4-5, 3.50 ERA), David Hawkins (3-4, 3.97 ERA) and Jonathan Craig (5-3, 6.00 ERA).

Samford's outfield has been somewhat hot lately. Junior center fielder Sae Evans has gone 5-for-9 with one RBI and one run scored in the last three games. Senior left fielder Cory Sumner and junior right-fielder Robert Evans each have 58 hits heading into this weekend's series with Georgia St. Evans went 3-for-4 in Samford's 7-2 loss to EKU Wednesday. Sumner hit his team-high 13th double in that same EKU game. Sumner is hitting .365 on the season, which is second on the team, while Robert Evans (.362) and Sae Evans (.345) are close behind.

The Bulldogs will hit the road next week for three nonconference games. The Bulldogs will travel to Birmingham-Southern Tuesday at 7 p.m. to make up a game which was originally scheduled for Mar. 20. Samford then travels to McNeese St. in Lake Charles, La. next weekend for a two-game series with the Cowboys.