PADUCAH, Ky. – Junior Tyler Barnett went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored but it wasn't enough as Bear Burnett went 4-for-5 with four RBI to lead the Samford Bulldogs to an 8-3 victory over the Eastern Kentucky baseball team in the opening round of the 2007 O'Reilly OVC Tournament at Brooks Stadium on Wednesday afternoon. Eastern will now play Murray State in an elimination game on Thursday at Noon EST.

Eastern (23-28-1) got off to a quick start with a run in the first. Barnett singled with one out off Samford (30-26) starter Josh Ehmke and moved to third on a bloop single to right from junior Lucas Waters. Sophomore Matt Davis then got Barnett in with a long sacrifice fly to center to give Eastern a 1-0 lead.

Samford came right back though with four runs in the bottom of the inning against EKU starter Chris Grider. Michael Marseco walked to lead off; one of eight walks issued by the EKU pitching staff on the day, took second on a balk and then came home on an RBI double from Burnett. Grider then got Parker Gargis to ground out to second but Garrett Rice followed with a long home run over the scoreboard in the left to make it 4-1.

The Bulldogs added a run in the third when Burnett reached on a Colonel error to lead off the inning, moved to third on a Gargis single and then came home on a sacrifice fly from Luke Peavy which drove Grider from the game after 2.2 innings.

The Colonels inched closer in the fourth with two runs against Bulldog reliever Trent Hill, who came in when Ehmke had to leave at the start of the third due to injury.

EKU loaded the bases with one out and Hill then struck out senior Shawn Flora for the second out but walked sophomore Aaron Barrows to force in a run. Barnett then sliced a single to left which scored a run but sophomore Dylan McMaine was cut down at the plate to end the threat.

The Bulldogs got another run in the sixth as Tripp Swann walked to lead off before giving way to pinch runner Jonathan Lowery who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and then came home on a two-out RBI single from Burnett to knock Eastern freshman reliever Jim Clancy from the game.

Burnett put the game out of reach with a two-run homer to right field with two outs in the eighth off Colonel reliever David Owens.

Grider (6-5) took the loss for Eastern, allowing five runs on four hits in his 2.2 innings. Trent Hill picked up the victory, allowing just two runs in his 7.0 innings of relief.