Feb. 10, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford softball team will open its 2003 season Tuesday afternoon at Bulldog Field against the Auburn Tigers. First-pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

The Bulldogs enter their final season as member of the Atlantic Sun Conference under first-year head coach Beanie Ketcham. The Bulldogs will move to the Ohio Valley Conference in 2004. Ketcham spent four years as an assistant coach at Samford before being promoted this off-season.

Samford single-season and career home run leader Angela Bednark and 2nd team All-Atlantic Sun first baseman Deanna Resmondo head the list of returning starters for the Bulldogs. Samford returns five starters from last year's team along with both pitchers from a year ago. Junior Erin Landsburg will get the ball as the opening day starter for the second year in a row. Senior Michelle Wright enters the 2003 season with 27 career doubles and is in second place in the Samford record book. She needs 16 doubles this year to tie Janet Middleton's record of 43. She is also fifth on the career home run list with eight. Bednark tops the list with 14 career homers.

Auburn has already played 12 games this season and brings a 6-6 record into Tuesday's game. The Tiger are coming off a 4-1 weekend which saw them claim the Tiger Invitational championship with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Missouri. Ashley Griffin hit a two-run home run in the seventh inning on her way to Most Valuable Player honors. Janet Spivey was the Most Valuable Pitcher of the tournament with a 2-0 record and a 1.00 ERA. Griffin is hitting .375 on the young season with seven of her 12 hits being for extra bases. She has six doubles and four RBI. The Bulldogs have five new faces on this year's team. Bridgett Smith is a junior transfer from Chattanooga State Community College, Trisha Holman is a sophomore transfer from Gardner-Webb. Erin Hall, Emilee Lewis, and Katie Dyer are all true freshmen. Dyer will red-shirt the 2003 season.