Samford 5, Alabama A&M 1
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford baseball team defeated Alabama A&M, 5-1, Tuesday evening at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
Samford starting pitcher Cody Pugh (4-4) pitched six innings, giving up one unearned run on two hits to earn the win on the mound for Samford. The six innings marked Pugh’s longest outing of the season, and his six strikeouts tied a season high. Chase Traffica pitched two hitless innings in relief, striking out four batters. Mark Donham struck out three batters in the ninth inning to close the game for Samford.
Offensively, Samford was led by Hunter Swilling, who went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Drew McWhorter went 2-for-4 at the plate for Samford.
Alabama A&M was led by Justen Folger, who drove in the visiting Bulldogs’ lone run and went 1-for-2 at the plate. Payden Khun (0-1) pitched 2/3 of an inning, giving up three runs on two hits to take the loss on the mound for Alabama A&M.
Samford jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. T.J. Dixon was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Jared Watson then doubled to left-center field to drive in Dixon for the game’s first run.
After Watson advanced to third base on a wild pitch, McWhorter walked. Heath Quinn then hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Watson for a 2-0 Samford lead. With one out, Swilling doubled down the left-field line, moving McWhorter to third base. After Frankie Navarrete walked to load the bases, Tripp Martin walked, driving in McWhorter to make the score 3-0.
Alabama A&M plated its lone run of the game in the top of the third inning. Folger was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Dustin Dhanani to cut the Samford lead to 3-1.
Samford added a run in the bottom of the third inning to make the score 4-1. Quinn walked and Caleb Bryson reached base on an error, moving Quinn to third base. Swilling then reached base on an infield single, driving in Quinn for a three-run Samford lead.
Samford plated one final run in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the final score 5-1. Swilling singled up the middle to lead off the inning. Navarrete and Richard Greene were both hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Dixon then hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Swilling for the game’s final run.
With the win, Samford improves to 29-20 on the season. Alabama A&M falls to 20-30 with the loss.
Samford will play at UAB on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. CT at Regions Field.
Charleston Southern 12, The Citadel 7
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel scored five times in the fourth to take a 7-6 lead but could not dent the scoreboard the rest of the way in a 12-7 loss to Charleston Southern on Tuesday night at CSU Ballpark.
The teams split the season series after the Bulldogs (19-29) won 10-3 on March 26 at Riley Park.
CSU (26-21) scored the winning runs in the sixth on a two-run single by Alex Tomasovich off David Rivera that put the Buccaneers in front 8-7. Chase Shelton bounced a three-run double over the head of Calvin Orth at first in a four-run eighth that sealed the game for CSU.
The Bulldogs trailed 6-2 after three before sending 10 men to the plate in the fourth. Johnathan Stokes, Bret Hines and Ryan Kilgallen led off the inning with singles, the latter driving in the first run of the frame.
Hughston Armstrong lined a double to left to plate Hines and make it 6-4. A wild pitch pulled The Citadel within a run, and Drew DeKerlegand knocked in a pair of runs with a single to put the Bulldogs in front.
DeKerlegand had two hits and extended his streak of reaching base via hit, walk or hit by pitch to a career-long 29 consecutive games. Armstrong joined him with two RBIs, while Kilgallen reached base all four times via two hits and two walks and scored a pair of runs.
CSU scored single runs in the first and second, and the Bulldogs answered with two in the third, tying the game on a single by Bo Thompson. The Buccaneers went in front 6-2 in their half of the third, including a two-run single by Zack Hagaman and triple off the bat of Cody Austin.
Evan Nations was credited with the win for CSU, allowing one hit and striking out two in blanking the Bulldogs in the fifth and sixth. The Citadel used eight pitchers, with Nate Brecklin the most effective, working 1 2/3 hitless innings.
The Bulldogs play a nonconference series later this week against UNCW, hosting the Seahawks on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Friday at 5 p.m. The teams break for The Citadel's graduation ceremonies on Saturday before finishing the series in Wilmington, N.C., on Sunday at 2 p.m.