Softball Ends Season Tied :: Bulldogs rally in seventh to force program's first tie

May 2, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Angela Bednarks hit her seventh home run of the season and Kelly Smith drove home her 31st run of the year in the seventh inning just before tornado sirens and storms in the Birmingham area forced the Bulldogs and the University of Mobile to end tied 2-2 Friday afternoon.

The tie marks the first time in its 15-year history that Samford has played a tie game in softball. The Bulldogs season ends with a 27-17-1 overall record while Mobile moves to 46-5-1. The Rams, who will play in a NAIA Regional, are 1-1-1 against Division I teams this season.

Denisse Fuenmayor put the Rams on the board in the top of the third innings with a bases loaded two-out single up the middle that scored Sylvia Bedgood and Brenda Box. The Rams had four of their six hits in the game in third inning.

Missy Passley had a two-hit shout out through six innings but her first pitch to Bednark in the bottom of the seventh was hammered over the left field fence. It was the 21st home run of Bednark's career. Erin Hall followed with a triple into the right field corner. It was Hall's team-high fourth triple of the year. Smith hit a short fly ball into left field that was caught but Amie Roberts throw to the plate could not be handled by catcher Lindsey Allen and Hall scored to tie the game.

After one pitch in the top of the eighth inning, tornado sirens halted play. The umpires waited a little over an hour before calling the game. The game will not be finished and the second game of the double header will not be played.