Box Score

The Basics
Score: Samford 2, Western Carolina 1
Records: Western Carolina 30-17, 6-6 SoCon, Samford 26-17, 10-2 SoCon
Location: SU Softball Stadium - Birmingham, Ala.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Western Carolina softball dropped the rubber match with Samford Sunday when Bulldog Abbie Miranda hit a walk-off RBI, in the ninth inning, to win the game 2-1 as Samford took the Southern Conference series 2-1 at SU Softball Stadium..

Turning Point
Tied 1-1, Samford's Miranda hit an RBI single to left field to score Kelly Royalty to take the game 2-1 and the series by the same margin.

How it Happened
- Western Carolina struck first scoring a run in the top of the fifth. Courtney Price broke up Samford Mollie Hanson's perfect game attempt leading off with a single to left field. Taylor Sigmon followed with a single and moved to second the throw pushing Price to third. Senior Victoria Mariscal hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Price.
- Samford knotted the game with a run in the bottom of the fifth. The Bulldogs looked to add more with bases loaded, and two outs, but Sigmon got a big strikeout to end the inning and Samford's continued scoring threat.
- Kelly Royalty led off the bottom of the ninth with a lead-off single and stole second with one out. Miranda's RBI single to left field scored Royalty for the winning run.

Inside the Box Score
- Western Carolina had a lead-off baserunner in just two of the eight innings played.
- Western Carolina scratched together three hits and gave up eight to Samford.
- Sigmon got the start in the game and went a combined 7.1 innings, after being replaced for an inning and a third by Courtney Buchanan. Sigmon took the loss falling to 11-11 on the season giving up six hits, one run and striking out 10. Buchanan gave up 2 hits, one run and struck out two in her 1.1 innings.
- Both teams played perfect ball with neither one committing an error.
- Sigmon, Price and Madison Armstrong had hits in the game.

News & Notes
- Sigmon picked up her 171st career hit moving her to third place in the WCU record books.
- Samford took the SoCon series against Western Carolina for the first time since 2011.
- With 10 strikeouts against Samford, Sigmon now has 166 strikeouts for the season moving her to fifth in the WCU record books for hits in a season. In her career, Sigmon has 366 strikeouts sitting in third place. She needs 17 strikeouts to overtake former Catamount Mendy McKenzie who had 382 in her Catamount career.

Up Next
Western Carolina will play its final non-conference mid-week doubleheader when the Catamounts travel to Blacksburg, Va. Tuesday to face Virginia Tech. First pitch is set to begin at 5 p.m. Fans can listen to the game on the Catamount Sports Network.

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