All Hail Queen Hinton! All Hail Queen of the Long Ball!

On Wednesday, Samford Softball (2-5) traveled 2 hours South-SouthEast of Samford to take on the Trojans of Troy University (10-1) for a midweek double header. In game one, the teams seemed to agree to play baseball as the Trojans walked it off in the bottom of the 9th to take Game One by a score of 3-2. Game 2 wasn't close as the Bulldogs dropped a 7-1 decision.

Abby Swaney (1-1, 3.50 ERA) started in the circle for the Bulldogs, lasting 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, walking 2 and striking out 3. Emily Barnett (L, 1-1) then relieved Swaney to start the 6th and went 3+ innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits, walking 1 and sitting down 1 Trojan. Troy's pitcher L. Johnson (4-1) picked up the win after coming in after relieving starter L Baker. Johnson lasted 4 innings, allowing 0 Bulldogs to reach base and striking out 12.

Offensively, Samford only tallied 6 hits, with no player reaching base twice. All of Samford's base hits were singles, while Troy hit one double on the game.

Where the first game was close all the way until the end, game 2 was only good for Samford as Senior infielder Whitney Hinton broke the program record for career home runs when Hinton raced around the diamond for an inside-the-park home run after driving the ball down the left field line. With her 36th home run, Hinton passes Callie Brister (2013-2016) for sole possession of career home runs. Whitney Hinton paced the Bulldogs for the past 2 years in the long ball department, hitting 15 in 2019 and 5 during last year's COVID shortened year. This year, Hinton and Mekhi Mayfield are tied for the team lead in homers with 2 on the season. Infielder Timberlyn Shurbutt is the only other Bulldog to have circled the bases this year.

For the rest of the team, the Bulldogs tallied 5 more hits on the day, with Amanda Briskin hitting two singles. 3 Bulldogs took the patient route to first during game 2.

The Trojan bats woke up for the 2nd game, scraping across 3 runs on 4 hits in the 1st inning, chasing starter Megan Robertson (L, 0-1) after just 1 inning. Robertson walked 1 Trojan and struck out 2 in her 2nd outing of the 2021 season. Taylor DeCelles relieved the Redshirt Freshman, going 4+ innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits while striking out 2. McKenna Gillespie got the final 3 outs, allowing 1 hit and one base on balls.

This weekend, Samford will be back at home as they host The Samford Tournament. Northern Iowa and Louisiana-Monroe will be in town and the teams will take turns playing each other on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Samford will start out Friday against UNI at 1pm Central, then will play ULM on Saturday 24 hours later, then will turn around and face UNI at 4. The Bulldogs will then finish their weekend schedule against ULM with a Sunday matinee starting at 2pm.

Photo taken by Chase Cochran