Game 1 - - Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) - - Tickets  |  Video  |  Audio  |  Live Stats
Game 2 - - Saturday at 2 p.m. (CT) - - Tickets  |  Video  |  Audio  |  Live Stats
Game 3 - - Sunday at Noon (CT) - - Tickets  |  Video  |  Audio  |  Live Stats

Samford Game Notes

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Samford University baseball team, fresh off a pair of decisive double-digit run victories against in-state opponents, will play host to the Western Carolina Catamounts this weekend in a marquee Southern Conference showdown to be held at Joe Lee Griffin Field. The key series will begin Friday at 6 p.m. (CT).
 
The second game of the series is scheduled to start Saturday at 2 p.m., while the finale will be held Sunday at noon. The Bulldogs boast a brilliant 14-5 record at home this season, including a 2-1 record in SoCon play.
 
GETTING STARTED
Samford (24-17, 5-7 SoCon) enters this weekend's series with a full head of steam after earning a pair of lopsided victories against Alabama A&M, 31-1, and Alabama State, 14-4 (7) on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. With the wins, the Bulldogs improved to 8-3 against in-state opponents this season.
 
Additionally, Samford's 31 runs against Alabama A&M tied a 104-year school record, dating all the way back to 1913 when the Bulldogs posted a 31-0 triumph over Albertville.
 
In its last two games, Samford outscored its opponents by a total of 45-5.
 
THE LAST TIME OUT
Samford rallied to score eight runs on five hits in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday, including a base-clearing triple from senior T.J. Dixon, to lift the Bulldogs to a decisive 14-4 run-rule victory over the Alabama State Hornets in a nonconference contest held at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
Samford entered the seventh inning with a 6-4 advantage over the Hornets. The Bulldogs then used back-to-back singles from Branden Fryman and Jordan Fucci to open the frame before Alabama State walked both Austin Edens and Taylor Garris.
 
Next up, Samford's Kevin Williams, Jr., notched a bases-loaded single followed by a two-RBI double from Ayrton Schafer. Fellow true freshman Anthony Mulrine then added another RBI double and Troy Dixon walked to load the bases.
 
With nobody out in the inning, the Bulldogs led 11-4 with the bags packed and T.J. Dixon at the plate. Dixon crushed a line-drive down the left-field line that cleared the bases for a triple and gave Samford its decisive 14-4 advantage. The Bulldogs led by 10 runs, therefore the run-rule was put into effect in the victory.
 
Schafer proved to be a top performer Wednesday. Samford's true freshman designated hitter finished 3-for-3 at the plate with five RBI and two runs scored. He also powered his sixth home run of the season in the sixth inning.
 
T.J. Dixon drove in a total of four runs in the contest, while crossing the plate once and going 2-for-5 at the dish. The Bulldogs' speedy centerfielder is now hitting .361 on the season with 61 hits and 16 stolen bases.
 
BURNS NAMED TO NCBWA MIDSEASON WATCH LIST
Samford junior Wyatt Burns continued his trek towards being named the best relief pitcher in the nation Thursday as the Bulldogs' talented native of Pinson, Alabama, was named to the 2017 Stopper of the Year Midseason Watch List by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA), it was officially announced by the organization's headquarters.
 
The original Watch List, which consisted of the nation's top relief pitchers at the beginning of the year, has now been whittled down to the 40 best relievers in the country.
 
Burns, who earned Preseason All-SoCon honors prior to the 2017 campaign, is currently ranked fifth in the nation with 12 saves. He also boasts a perfect 3-0 record this season, as well as a 3.19 earned run average in a team-high 20 appearances.
 
Burns has already tallied 27 strikeouts this season, while only allowing a total of 11 earned runs.
 
Last year, the Bulldogs' right-handed sidewinder finished the campaign with eight saves and 40 strikeouts in 42.1 innings pitched. Burns closed out his sophomore year with a team-high 37 appearances.
 
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
Western Carolina (21-19, 10-5 SoCon) heads into the weekend boasting a five-game winning streak. Since being swept at home by Furman from April 13-15, and then losing at Gardner-Webb, 7-5, the Catamounts have since won three straight games against VMI and then two more versus Savannah State.
 
In its last five games, Western Carolina is outscoring its opponents by a total of 68-12, including a 19-3 victory over VMI on Saturday and a 21-1 triumph over Savannah State on Tuesday.
 
The Catamounts have been a streaky teams this season. Already this year, Western Carolina has suffered three four-game losing streaks, but has made up for it with a seven-game winning stretch, as well as its current five-game trend.
 
Statistically, the Catamounts are ranked first in the conference in shutouts. They are also ranked second in the league in batting average with a team total of .315.
 
Senior outfielder Bryson Bowman leads Western Carolina with a .380 average, while Nobu Suzuki follows at .358. Additionally, the Catamounts' Brett Pope (.354), Matt Smith (.318), Caleb Robinson (.318) and Matthew Koehler (.312) are all hitting over .300 this season.
 
SAMFORD'S RECORD VERSUS WESTERN CAROLINA - - THE DUNN ERA
Since Head Coach Casey Dunn took the reins to the Bulldogs' baseball program in 2004, Samford has compiled a 13-16 record against Western Carolina. Last year, the teams squared off five times with the Catamounts earning a 4-1 record, including a pair of victories in the SoCon Tournament.
 
During the 2016 regular season, the Bulldogs traveled to Cullowhee, North Carolina, for a three-game series and came back with a 1-2 record. Western Carolina won the first contest, 10-5, but then Samford bounced back to take the second game, 13-7. In the finale, the Catamounts were able to rally late for a 6-5 victory.
 
Samford drew Western Carolina twice in the SoCon Tournament. After defeating UNCG in the opener, 8-5, the Bulldogs met the Catamounts in the second round, but fell prey to a 14-4 setback. Samford then rallied for wins over ETSU and Furman to meet Western Carolina in the semifinals. The Bulldogs fell behind early in the contest and their late rally came up short in a 7-4 decision.
 
Western Carolina went on to defeat Mercer in the championship round and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
 
QUICK NOTES OF THE DAY
(1.):  Samford's Dunn is just two victories shy of reaching the 400-win plateau. In his 13th season at the helm of the Bulldogs' baseball program, Dunn currently owns a 398-341 all-time record.
 
(2.):  Already this season, the Bulldogs own a perfect 18-0 record when leading after six innings, an 18-0 mark when leading after seven, as well as a 19-0 record when leading after eight innings of action.
 
(3.):  Samford boasts a 16-3 record this season when scoring at least six runs. The Bulldogs are also 18-2 when they score first and an impressive 8-1 in one-run games.
 
THIS WEEKEND'S PITCHING MATCHUPS
 
SAMFORD'S STARTING ROTATION
Friday - - RHP, Cody Shelton, So. (Brentwood, Tennessee) - - 3-1 (1.98 ERA)
Saturday - - RHP, Mikhail Cazenave, Sr. (Rainbow City, Alabama) - - 3-5 (4.88 ERA)
Sunday - - TBA
 
WESTERN CAROLINA'S STARTING ROTATION
Friday - - LHP, Bryan Sammons, Sr. (Wilmington, North Carolina) - - 5-2 (2.80 ERA)
Saturday - - LHP, Tristan Baker, So. (Charlotte, North Carolina) - - 3-2 (6.19 ERA)
Sunday - - LHP, Brendan Nail, Jr. (Greensboro, North Carolina) - - 4-6 (7.32 ERA)
 
DID YOU KNOW?
Under the tutelage of Dunn, Samford is the winningest Division I program in the state of Alabama since 2011, and the Bulldogs have had 19 players selected in the MLB Draft over the last six years.
 
SAMFORD IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
 
Team - - - - -
#30 | Pitching Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (9.0)
#38 | Fewest Hits Allowed Per Nine Innings (8.24)
#51 | Home Runs (39)
#51 | Sacrifice Bunts (29)
#59 | Hits (405)
#59 | Home Runs Per Game (0.95)
#62 | Batting Average (.289)
#64 | Double Plays Turned (35)
#70 | Hit Batters (44)
#74 | Slugging Percentage (.429)
 
Kevin Williams, Jr. - - - - -
#44 | Home Runs (11)
 
Wyatt Burns - - - - -
#5 | Saves (12)
 
Branden Fryman - - - - -
#8 | Sacrifice Bunts (10)
#27 | Sacrifice Bunts Per Game (0.24)
 
T.J. Dixon - - - - -
#33 | Hits (61)
#38 | Stolen Bases (16)
 
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?
Following this weekend's SoCon home series against Western Carolina, the Samford University baseball team will next be in action Tuesday at 6 p.m. (CT) as the Bulldogs remain at home for a huge crosstown rivalry game against the UAB Blazers to be held at Joe Lee Griffin Field.
 
For quick score updates, breaking news and links to all of your favorite articles featuring the Bulldogs, please follow @SamfordBaseball and @Samford_Sports on Twitter.

Game 1 - - Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) - - Tickets  |  Video  |  Audio  |  Live Stats
Game 2 - - Saturday at 2 p.m. (CT) - - Tickets  |  Video  |  Audio  |  Live Stats
Game 3 - - Sunday at Noon (CT) - - Tickets  |  Video  |  Audio  |  Live Stats

Samford Game Notes