March 25, 2003

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Bulldog softball team begins its final Florida trip as a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference on Wednesday afternoon at UCF. The Bulldogs are 1-1 all-time against the Golden Knights.

The Golden Knights are in their second year of softball but were picked by the conference coaches to finish second in the league this year. UCF brings a 22-17 overall and 3-1 Atlantic Sun record into Wednesday's 2 p.m. ET start.

Samford is off to its best start in school history at 16-7 overall and the Bulldogs are 2-0 in the A-Sun after taking two games from Jacksonville on Sunday in Birmingham.

Wednesday's double header features both of this week Atlantic Sun players of the week. Samford's Erin Landsburg was the Pitcher of the Week and UCF's Stephanie Best was the Player of the Week. Landsburg threw 20 innings last week for the Bulldogs and gave up just two earned runs for a 0.70 ERA. Best hit three home runs and had 11 RBI against in one game against Army last week.

The Bulldogs are hitting .315 as a team and are led by Sarah Godfrey's .377 average. Abi Casillo showed signs of breaking out of her slump as she went 3-3 in game two against Jacksonville. The Golden Knights are batting .296 as a team. Best leads UCF with a .410 average, nine home runs and 43 RBI. Rachelle Schmidt is batting .403 with three homers and 30 RBI.

Samford will continue on to six-time Atlantic Sun Conference champion Florida Atlantic on Friday.