.svg){kind=small}
No.2 Samford advances to SoCon baseball championship game
The Bulldogs secured the 12-run victory to make their sixth title game appearance
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Led by Brooks Carlson’s two-hit, four-RBI effort, No. 2 seed Samford defeated No. 4 seed Western Carolina 19-7 in seven innings on Saturday at the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field to advance to the title game that will be held on Sunday, May 30, at 12 p.m. ET.
There will be a second game, if necessary, 40 minutes after the first game’s conclusion.
Samford improves to 34-22 on the season, moving on to face the winner of the No. 1 seed Wofford and Western Carolina, who will play on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. for the right to advance to Sunday’s championship round.
After the game had been suspended due to inclement weather on Friday night with Samford, the 2021 SoCon preseason favorite, leading 5-3 in the top of the fourth inning, the Bulldogs returned to the field on Saturday to secure their win with a powerful nine-run effort in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Samford totaled 16 hits from nine different batters, with six players recording at least two hits. Carlson, the SoCon preseason player of the year, Sonny DiChiara and Towns King each hit a home run, with the trio combining for nine RBIs. Max Pinto, Tyler McManus, Kaden Dreier and Taylor Garris had two hits apiece, while third baseman Will David led the Bulldogs’ hitting efforts with three.
When the game resumed Saturday, Western Carolina scored two more in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 5 after Daylan Nanny’s three-run blast just before the game was halted Friday night got the Catamounts on the board. Seth Graves drove in one run with a single to center and Will Prater knocked in another with a groundout to knot the score.
Carlson answered with a three-run homer to give Samford the lead for good in the bottom of the frame. The following inning, Carlson drove in Dreir with an infield single, while Garris would also score on the play thanks to a Western Carolina throwing error to make it 10-5.
Western Carolina got two runs back in the top of the sixth, as Will Prater singled to left field to score Tom Brosnahan and knock Samford reliever Blake Bortak from the game. After Prater was caught stealing second, Pascanel Ferreras singled to drive in Graves as Western Carolina got back within three runs at 10-7.
Samford produced its nine-run inning in the bottom of the sixth, which put the game out of reach. King’s three-run homer and Crockett’s two-run single were the big blows in the inning.
Jesse McCord (4-6), who relieved Bortak with one out in the sixth, delivered in his 1 2/3 innings pitched, allowing no runs while striking out one batter to earn the win.
Catamount right-handed pitcher Nick Hyde was tagged with the loss, falling to 2-3 on the season. The Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, native lasted 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and three runs.
Western Carolina will face top-seeded Wofford for the second time in this year’s championship in an elimination game on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The Catamounts defeated the Terriers 16-5 in the first game of the tournament on Thursday, and will seek to repeat the winning result to advance to the championship game on Sunday.
May 27 (Thursday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 1: No. 4 Western Carolina 16, No. 1 Wofford 5
Game 2: No. 2 Samford 10, No. 3 Mercer 8
May 28 (Friday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 3: No. 1 Wofford 8, No. 3 Mercer 7
Game 4: No. 4 Western Carolina vs. No. 2 Samford, suspended
May 29 (Saturday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 4: No. 2 Samford 19, No. 4 Western Carolina 7 (7 innings)
Game 5: No. 4 Western Carolina vs. No. 1 Wofford, 5:30 p.m.
May 30 (Sunday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 6: No. 2 Samford vs. Game 5 winner, 12 p.m.
Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser (If necessary), 40 minutes after the conclusion of Game 6
There will be a second game, if necessary, 40 minutes after the first game’s conclusion.
Samford improves to 34-22 on the season, moving on to face the winner of the No. 1 seed Wofford and Western Carolina, who will play on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. for the right to advance to Sunday’s championship round.
After the game had been suspended due to inclement weather on Friday night with Samford, the 2021 SoCon preseason favorite, leading 5-3 in the top of the fourth inning, the Bulldogs returned to the field on Saturday to secure their win with a powerful nine-run effort in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Samford totaled 16 hits from nine different batters, with six players recording at least two hits. Carlson, the SoCon preseason player of the year, Sonny DiChiara and Towns King each hit a home run, with the trio combining for nine RBIs. Max Pinto, Tyler McManus, Kaden Dreier and Taylor Garris had two hits apiece, while third baseman Will David led the Bulldogs’ hitting efforts with three.
When the game resumed Saturday, Western Carolina scored two more in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 5 after Daylan Nanny’s three-run blast just before the game was halted Friday night got the Catamounts on the board. Seth Graves drove in one run with a single to center and Will Prater knocked in another with a groundout to knot the score.
Carlson answered with a three-run homer to give Samford the lead for good in the bottom of the frame. The following inning, Carlson drove in Dreir with an infield single, while Garris would also score on the play thanks to a Western Carolina throwing error to make it 10-5.
Western Carolina got two runs back in the top of the sixth, as Will Prater singled to left field to score Tom Brosnahan and knock Samford reliever Blake Bortak from the game. After Prater was caught stealing second, Pascanel Ferreras singled to drive in Graves as Western Carolina got back within three runs at 10-7.
Samford produced its nine-run inning in the bottom of the sixth, which put the game out of reach. King’s three-run homer and Crockett’s two-run single were the big blows in the inning.
Jesse McCord (4-6), who relieved Bortak with one out in the sixth, delivered in his 1 2/3 innings pitched, allowing no runs while striking out one batter to earn the win.
Catamount right-handed pitcher Nick Hyde was tagged with the loss, falling to 2-3 on the season. The Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, native lasted 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and three runs.
Western Carolina will face top-seeded Wofford for the second time in this year’s championship in an elimination game on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. The Catamounts defeated the Terriers 16-5 in the first game of the tournament on Thursday, and will seek to repeat the winning result to advance to the championship game on Sunday.
May 27 (Thursday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 1: No. 4 Western Carolina 16, No. 1 Wofford 5
Game 2: No. 2 Samford 10, No. 3 Mercer 8
May 28 (Friday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 3: No. 1 Wofford 8, No. 3 Mercer 7
Game 4: No. 4 Western Carolina vs. No. 2 Samford, suspended
May 29 (Saturday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 4: No. 2 Samford 19, No. 4 Western Carolina 7 (7 innings)
Game 5: No. 4 Western Carolina vs. No. 1 Wofford, 5:30 p.m.
May 30 (Sunday)
SoCon Championship presented by Holston Gases (ESPN+)
(Fluor Field; Greenville, S.C.)
Game 6: No. 2 Samford vs. Game 5 winner, 12 p.m.
Game 7: Game 6 winner vs. Game 6 loser (If necessary), 40 minutes after the conclusion of Game 6
-www.SoConSports.com-