Birmingham, Ala. – Samford scored three runs over the first two innings and Taylor DeCelles limited the Paladins to one run in five and one-third innings of work as the Bulldogs edged Furman, 4-1, in the series finale of a three-game set Sunday afternoon at Samford Softball Stadium.
 
The victory improved the Bulldogs to 14-19 overall and 4-5 in Southern Conference play, while Furman slipped to 10-18 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
 
Timberlyn Shurbutt opened the bottom of the first with a double and scored on on Ryan Brzozoski's one-out single to open the scoring. With two outs and two on in the second inning, Whitney Hinton lined a single to right field to drive in two and up the Bulldog advantage to 3-0.
 
Furman got on the board in the top of the fifth with a solo home run from senior Amanda Fleming, her second roundtripper of the season. Trailing 3-1, Furman loaded the bases in the top of the sixth when Natalie Morgan was plunked by a pitch, Claire Ginder picked up her second single of the day and Riley Ludlam reached safely on a fielder's choice. Reliever Emily Barnett, who entered the game to face Ludlam, managed to retire Kaitlyn Laudick on a fly ball to left and struck out Fleming to end the threat. 
 
Samford's Kathryn Jackson upped the Bulldog lead to 4-1 with a homer in the bottom half of the sixth and Barnett retired the Paladins in the top of the seventh to earn her third save. DeCelles (2-7) held Furman to one run on four hits while fanning five batters to secure the victory.
 
Starter Sierra Tufts (5-8) took the loss after being charged with three runs on five hits in two innings of work for Furman. Junior Bailey Tanner allowed just one hit, a solo homer, in four innings of relief for the Paladins.
 
Furman returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Columbia, S.C., for a 3 p.m. doubleheader versus the South Carolina Gamecocks and Beckham Field.