Troy State completes series sweep of Samford :: Owen's, Evans' home runs aren't enough as Bulldogs fall

April 14, 2002

TROY, Ala. - Troy State's Wade Miller's solo home run in the bottom of the seventh proved to be the difference as the Trojans defeated Samford 7-6, Sunday afternoon in the third game of their Atlantic Sun Conference series.

Samford fell to 19-18 and 6-12 in the conference while Troy State improved to 19-20 overall and moved ahead of the Bulldogs at 9-9 in A-Sun play. It was the first time under head coach Tim Parenton that Samford had been swept by the Trojans and the second time in two days the Trojans won, 7-6.

Miller's homer capped a three-inning stretch where the Trojans outscored the Bulldogs, 7-1, and staked a 7-3 lead heading into the eighth inning.

Major Allred led off the eighth with a single down the left field line and advanced to third on a pair of miscues by Troy State reliever Shawn Andrews. Allred, who advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on a balk, scored on Heath Owen's groundout to cut the Trojan lead to 7-4.

Robert Evans turned a relaxing outing for Andrews into a near nightmare when he hit a two-run home run to right field in the top of the ninth. Doug Atkins came in and recorded his second save of the season when he got Allred to hit a chopper to first and secure Troy State's ninth consecutive victory.

Samford took a 2-0 lead on a Trojan error in the first and Heath Owen's solo home run to right center in the fourth. The Trojans scored four runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. Two runners scored via a Bulldog error and two more came in on Lance Newman's double to right center.

Eric Wikstrom (3-1) earned his third consecutive A-Sun win as he scattered seven hits and struck out four in seven innings of work. Scott Fowler (2-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs, one earned, on four hits in 4.1 innings.

Robert Evans led Samford going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Owen finished with two solo home runs and three RBIs.

Daryl Griggs went 3-for-4 with one RBI and a run scored for the Trojans.

Samford hits the road Wednesday to face No. 3 Alabama in Tuscaloosa in a mid-week nonconference showdown. Game time is set for 7 p.m.