Greenville, S.C. -- Samford's Megan Dowdy and Callie Brister combined for eight hits, including two doubles and two home runs, and drove in a combined seven runs to propel the Bulldogs to a 9-6 victory over Furman in the rubber game of a three-game Southern Conference series on Sunday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium.

The loss dropped the Paladins to 20-22 overall and 3-6 in league play, while first place Samford improved to 23-16 overall and 8-1 in the SoCon.

After stranding two runners on base in the first inning, Samford broke through in the top of the second when Karsin Spinks singled and Lexi Higgins doubled before Dowdy stroked a three-run homer over the center field wall.

Furman got on the board in the bottom of the fourth when Sieara Bishop reached third base with one out and scored on a two-out error by the Bulldogs. After Samford left the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, Bishop drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right to plate Brittany Houston who was hit by a pitch to open the frame.

Leading 3-2 in the sixth, Dowdy doubled to open the inning, stole third base and scored on Brister's single through the left side to increase the Bulldogs' lead to 4-2. Samford blew the game open in the top of the seventh. With a runner on second base and two out, a grounder to first went through AnnaRose Borrelli's legs at first allowing a run to score. Two straight singles followed before Brister ripped a three-run blast to left.

The Paladins mounted a rally in the bottom of the inning as Candace Johnson singles, Courtney Jacobs was hit by a pitch and Bishop drove an RBI single to center field to start the frame. Hannah Reynolds followed two batters later with a three-run clout to center field, but Samford's Mollie Hanson came on in relief of Grey Adams to induce back-to-back popups to end the game.

Starter Rebecca Leonard (1-1) held Furman to just an unearned run on one hit in four innings to earn the win, while Hanson picked up her second save of the season.

Dowdy finished 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs, while Brister went 3-for-5 with four RBI. Shelby Maze and Spinks also tallied two hits apiece as the Bulldogs recorded 14 base hits on the day.

The Paladins Lindsey Bert (11-13) suffered the loss after allowing four runs on 10 hits in 5.1 innings. She walked five and struck out five. Johnson and Bishop accounted for four of Furman's five hits.

Furman caps its homestand on Tuesday when it hosts Winthrop in a 4 p.m. doubleheader at Pepsi Stadium.

Admission to Furman softball at Pepsi Stadium is free. Tuesday's twinbill will be streamed live on the SoCon Digital Network with live statistics available through StatBroadcast. Links to the video stream and live stats are available at FurmanPaladins.com.


Jordan Caskey, Furman Sports Information