GAME NOTES -- SAMFORD AT FLORIDA

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford baseball team will travel to Gainesville, Florida, to take on the seventh-ranked Florida Gators in a three-game series this weekend. The teams are scheduled to play Friday at 5:30 p.m. (CT), Saturday at 3 p.m. (CT) and Sunday at 12 p.m. (CT).
 
Samford enters the game with a record of 3-1 after an 11-9 loss to Alabama State Tuesday night. Florida has a record of 3-2 after an 8-3 win over North Florida Wednesday evening.

THE RUN DOWN
Opponent: vs. #7 Florida (3-2)
Dates: Feb. 26-28, 2021
Site: Gainesville, Fla. (Florida Ballpark)
Time: 5:30 p.m. CT (Friday), 3 p.m. CT (Saturday), 12 p.m. CT (Sunday)
TV: SECN+ (Friday only): Click Here
Live Stats (All Games): Click Here

SERIES HISTORY

• Samford and Florida have met four previous times, with the Gators holding a 3-1 advantage in the series.
• The teams last played in 2012, with the teams splitting a pair of games. Florida won the game in Gainesville, 5-3, but Samford came back in the second meeting at Joe Lee Griffin Field to win, 12-7 over the third-ranked Gators, marking the highest ranked team Samford has ever defeated.

 
FOCAL POINT

• The Bulldogs face off against one of the top teams in the country in the seventh-ranked Gators this weekend.

 
BULLDOGS TO WATCH

• Samford sophomore first baseman Sonny DiChiara has gotten his 2021 season off to a hot start. Through the first four games of the season, the Hoover, Ala., native has already homered twice and has one double. He is batting .364 heading into this weekend's series at seventh-ranked Florida.  
• Samford returns three stellar weekend starters on the mound this season. Junior left-handed pitcher Samuel Strickland, and senior right-handers Jesse McCord and Zach Hester are set to be the Bulldogs' weekend starters. Hester earned 2019 SoCon Pitcher of the Year honors and has a career 2.07 ERA and a 7-4 record. McCord has a 9-4 career record and a 3.71 ERA. Strickland has an 18-5 record and a 2.85 career ERA.

 
NEWS & NOTES

• Samford head coach Casey Dunn, already the winningest coach in Samford history, enters the weekend with 501 career wins, making him the first Samford coach in any sport to win 500 games. Dunn has won four conference titles, and has posted 12 30-win seasons during his 16-plus seasons at Samford.
• Entering this weekend, Samford junior pitcher Samuel Strickland ranks third in school history in wins. Strickland currently has 19 wins. The current record holder is Josh Martin with 24 career victories.

FOLLOW THE BULLDOGS:
For the latest news and information on Samford baseball, visit the official website for Samford Athletics at SamfordSports.com. Fans can also follow the Bulldogs on social media at /SamfordBaseball (Facebook), @SamfordBaseball (Instagram) and @SamfordBaseball (Twitter).