March 23, 2002

Box Score

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Janet Middleton went 3-3 to improve her season average to .436 and make her 7-12 in Samford's last four games but it wasn't enough as the 25th ranked Wisconsin Badgers defeated Samford 5-1 to put the Bulldogs into the consolation game of the Gator Invitational at the University of Florida.

Trailing 2-0 in the fifth inning, Amber Fuller lined a two-out double to right center field. Mindy Shunnarah hit a RBI-single up the middle to score Fuller and cut the Badger lead in half. Kelly Smith and Middleton each followed with singles but Shunnarah was caught in a run down between home and third and was tagged out to end the inning.

Wisconsin (17-8) added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to provide the final margin of victory and propel it into the championship game where the Badgers will meet Florida. Samford (13-14) will play Maine in the consolation game.

Samford's inability to bunt and move runners over cost the Bulldogs scoring opportunities against the 25th ranked team in the country. Samford failed three times to advance runners and allowed Wisconsin and extra out in the two-run fourth that gave the Badgers the lead.

Fuller took the loss for Samford to drop to 6-5 despite only giving up one hit through the first three innings. She pitched five strong innings before running out of gas in the sixth. Andrea Krichberg (10-7) picked up the win for Wisconsin.

Samford will play Maine at 9 a.m. on Sunday and Wisconsin will play Florida at 11 a.m. to conclude the tournament.