GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Samford swept Furman in Southern Conference softball doubleheader action Friday after Pepsi Stadium, clipping the Paladins, 5-4, in the opening game before registering an 8-0 shutout in game two to complete the sweep.

The two victories improve Samford to 23-14 overall and 8-0 in SoCon play.  Furman falls to 14-24 and 2-6 in league action

The two teams play the series finale at noon Saturday.

Game 1 - Samford 5, Furman 4

Samford took advantage of a pair of Furman errors in top of the seventh inning to score the go-ahead run and claim a 5-4 win in game one.

With the score tied 4-4, McKayla Cothran singled with one out and advanced to second on failed pickoff attempt by Paladin catcher Riley Ludlum.  With two outs Cothran scored from second base after Paladin first baseman Emily Bartlett mishandled a ground ball off the bat of Timberlyn Shurbutt.

Samford starting pitcher McKenzie Newcomb (16-7) worked around a two-out hit in the bottom of the seventh to earn the victory.  The freshman right-hander allowed four runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five.

The Bulldogs led 3-0 after three innings before Furman touched up Newcomb for four runs in the fourth.  Barlett's lead off home run, her fifth of the season, over the right center field fence got the Paladins on the board.  Ludlam followed with a double to right center field and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-2.  Chrissy Fleming's RBI single down the left field line plated Natalie Morgan to tie it, and Chloe Fabio stroked a two-out single through the right side of the infield to drive home Marina Griffin and give Furman a 4-3 lead.

The advantage didn't last long, however, as Cothran singled to lead off the fifth, stole second, and came around to tie it on a M.K. Tedder single.

Samford supported its five runs with seven hits off Furman starting pitcher Sierra Tufts (5-12), who was charged with four earned runs in going the distance.  She surrendered four walks while striking out one.

Cothran and Tedder had two hits apiece for Samford.

Furman finished with six hits.

Game 2 - Samford 8, Furman 0

Jordyn Partain hurled seven innings of one-hit, shutout ball to lead Samford to an 8-0 blanking of Furman and doubleheader sweep.

Partain (5-5) allowed only one baserunner in the contest, a two-out single to Emily Barlettt in the second inning, in cruising to the win.  The freshman transfer from Florida International struck out four in facing just one batter over the minimum.

The Bulldogs gave Partin all the run support she would need in a five-run fourth, registering five hits, highlighted by a two-out, two-run triple by McKayla Cothran, off Furman starting pitcher Lauralee Scott (3-8), who was tagged for five runs on six hits over four frames.

Gwynnie Hornibrook paced Samford's nine-hit attack with a 3-for-4 performance, and Kolby Holcombe had two hits and drove in a pair of runs for the Bulldogs.