On a crisp Tuesday night in Homewood, Alabama, the Samford Bulldogs delivered a performance that should have reminded everyone there of that classic line from Moneyball—how can you not be romantic about baseball? Blankets wrapped around the thin-blooded Southern faithful as the Georgia clay bricks encircling Joe Lee Griffin Field glowed under the lights, and the crowd looked on as the Bulldogs mounted a stirring comeback that washed away the lingering sting of last weekend in Athens.
North Alabama, an ASUN program that finished 2025 with a 199 RPI and came in hot after sweeping Saint Louis, looked poised to keep its momentum rolling. Samford, on the other hand, was reeling. The Bulldogs had just endured a humiliating weekend in Athens, where Georgia not only swept them but gave them a wedgie, stuffed them in a locker, and sent them back to Homewood on Sunday with a “Kick Me” sign taped to the back of their backpack and a copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid to read on the bus. The national attention that followed wasn’t flattering—it was a wake-up call.
A Cold Start in Homewood
The early innings felt like a continuation of Samford’s Athens hangover. North Alabama scored a run in each of the first three innings to take a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs looked flat, their energy as cold as the 40-degree air. But baseball, in its timeless way, is a game of redemption, and Samford’s spark came from the middle of its lineup.
Luke Boykin, who redshirted at Georgia in 2023 before transferring to the State College of Florida, delivered the first blow for the Bulldogs. His single through the left side scored Jake Souders, who, as a freshman last year, hit .327, had drawn a walk, and stolen second. It wasn’t a loud rally, but it was a heartbeat—a sign that Samford was alive again.
The Lions Roar, Then the Bulldogs Bite Back
North Alabama extended its lead to 5–1 in the top of the fifth, scoring off of reliever Ryan Vermillion, a transfer from Jacksonville State. But Vermillion’s resilience would soon pay off. In the home half of the inning, Samford began chipping away. Boykin struck again, doubling to right to score Cade Carr, who had reached on a walk. The deficit shrank to 5–2.
Vermillion steadied himself in the sixth, retiring the Lions in order—a quiet but crucial turning point. Then came the fireworks. Freshman catcher Eddie Marshall singled, setting the stage for Souders, who launched a two-run blast that cut the lead to one. Suddenly, the team that had looked lifeless in Athens was clawing back.
The Bullpen Holds, the Bats Ignite
Towering 6’5” right-hander Will Andre took the mound in the seventh and delivered a flawless 1-2-3 inning, setting the tone for the final frames. The eighth inning, however, tested Samford’s composure. North Alabama worked a pair of walks against Andre, prompting a pitching change. Zack Spurrier entered and, after issuing another walk to load the bases, shut down the threat to keep the Bulldogs within a run.
Then came the bottom of the eighth, and with it, the defining moment of the night. Facing UNA’s mountain of a man reliever Gavin Oswald—a 6’6”, 285-pound presence who they don’t let pitch in day games because he blocks out the sun—undaunted, Samford’s 6’1”, 205-pound Marshall stepped up and launched a solo homer to left, tying the game at five.
Samford wasn’t done. The Bulldogs loaded the bases against Oswald, forcing him from the game after Carr ripped a single through the left side to give Samford its first lead of the night, 6–5. The comeback was complete, but the job wasn’t finished.
Closing Time at Joe Lee Griffin Field
Spurrier returned for the ninth and slammed the door shut. He worked around giving up a single and sealed Samford’s 6–5 victory—a desperately needed win that erased the bitter taste of Athens and restored belief in the Bulldogs.
The Point After
Samford baseball, bruised but unbroken, found its footing against a capable North Alabama team. The Bulldogs’ offense showed balance, their bullpen steadied under pressure, and their underclassmen —Marshall and Souders—rose to the moment.
For head coach Tony David’s squad, this was more than a midweek win—it was a statement. The “Athens Nightmare” is officially flushed away, replaced by the sweet sound of redemption in Homewood. And as the blankets came off and the crowd filed out under the Alabama night sky, one thought lingered in the air: How can you not be romantic about baseball?
