May 3, 2002

Samford heads to McNeese St. this weekend for a three-game nonconference series with the Cowboys. Friday's game is scheduled for 7 p.m. with Saturday's game set for 4 p.m. and Sunday's finale set for 1 p.m.

The Bulldogs (23-23, 10-14 ASUN) took two of three games from Georgia St. in Atlantic Sun Conference action over the weekend to remain alive in the hunt for a conference tournament spot. The Bulldogs rallied in game one of the series from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Panthers, 4-3. Robert Evans struck out a career-high 10 batters, and held GSU to three runs on 11 hits. In game two, Georgia St.'s David Hawkins held the Bulldogs to one run on seven hits as the Panthers won 6-1. In the final game of the series, Heath Owen doubled to right center to score Grant Caldwell and Kip Snowden as Samford rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the bottom of the seventh to defeat the Panthers, 5-4.

McNeese St (25-20) dropped two games at Oklahoma earlier in the week, 7-2 and 4-2. Dooley Prince went 6-for-8 in the two games with the Sooners. Ran Prince leads the Cowboys at the plate, hitting .366 with 40 RBI and five home runs. Tommy Eubanks is the top RBI man with 59. Eubanks is also hitting .304 with 10 home runs.

Samford will start junior left-hander Robert Evans (3-0, 4.50 ERA) Friday night, freshman right-hander Scott Fowler (2-4, 5.82 ERA) Saturday and sophomore left-hander Derek Tharpe (3-5, 5.40 ERA) Sunday while the Cowboys will counter with Seth LaSrapes (3-2, 4.12 ERA), Rusty Begnaud (6-2, 5.12 ERA), Laine McKeller (3-5, 4.01 ERA), Craig Martel (3-1,6.86 ERA) or Jared Gothreaux (7-5, 5.35 ERA).

Robert Evans leads Samford hitting .353 with eight home runs and 30 RBI. Senior catcher Grant Caldwell went 5-for-9 with four runs scored in the series with Georgia St. Caldwell is hitting .345 on the season with 22 runs scored and 48 hits. The 22 runs scored thus far this season gives Caldwell 122 career runs moving him into third place on the all-time career list.

Samford returns to Atlantic Sun Conference Play next weekend when it travels to play Campbell in a key Atlantic Sun conference series. Friday's game is set to start at 7 p.m. (EST) while Saturday's doubleheader will start at 1 p.m. (EST).