BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The opening day of the UAB Classic ended with extra-inning dramatics as the Samford softball team walked off the Ball State Cardinals 8-7 in nine innings to avenge a 5-3 defeat in game one of the doubleheader.
The Bulldogs move to 2-3 on year following Friday's split decision. Ball State enters the rest of the tournament at 1-1.
In game one, the Samford trio of Sarah Squillace, Grier Bruce and Logan Champion led the Bulldog attack by each collecting a pair of hits and scoring once. Bruce and Champion each homered in game one to drive in the three Samford runs.
Sara Bond was handed in the loss in her collegiate pitching debut after surrendering four runs over 4.1 innings of work. Bond also fanned five Cardinals on the day.
Ball State jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the fifth inning by scoring one in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth.
Samford got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Champion jettisoned her first-career home run over the wall in right-center to make it a 4-1 game.
After Ball State answered to make it 5-1 in the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs made it interesting when Bruce crushed a no-doubter to left field in the home half of the seventh to cut the deficit to 5-3 before the Cardinals stranded a pair of Bulldog runners in scoring position to end the game.
In the nightcap, the trio of Squillace, Bruce and Champion once again paced the Samford offensive by combining for six hits, five RBIs and five runs scored.
Jordyn Partain tossed six relief innings of one earned run ball to nab her first victory of the 2023 campaign.
McKenzie Newcomb started in the circle for the Bulldogs and gave up three earned in three innings of work.
Just like in game one, Ball State jumped out to an early 4-0 advantage before the Bulldog bats came alive in the third inning highlighted by a three-run blast off the bat of Champion to tie it at four-all after three.
The Cardinals regained the lead with an RBI single back through the box in the home half of the fourth. Ball State had Samford down to the last out of the game before Bruce stepped to the plate.
With one swing of the bat, Bruce forced extra innings when the sophomore turned on a 1-2 pitch for a solo shot over the right field wall to tie the game at 5-5.
The dramatics of the night were not limited to the players as the lights went out at Samford Softball Stadium with one out in the bottom of the eighth.
Following an 18-minute delay to turn the lights back on, the fireworks erupted in the ninth.
In the top half, Ball State scored a pair of runs to take a 7-5 lead on the heels of a couple of base hits and a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the ninth with a runner already on second, Ball State issued two walks to load for bases for Merritt Cahoon.
On the 1-2 pitch with one away, the senior played hero as Cahoon doubled to deep right-center to clear the bases for the 8-7 Samford come-from-behind victory to close out the night.
UP NEXT:
Samford will play Belmont and Lindenwood in a doubleheader starting at noon CT on Saturday.
FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford softball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordSports (Facebook), @SamfordSB (Twitter), and @SamfordSB (Instagram).
