BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Interstat) — The Wofford Terriers and Samford Bulldogs meet again Friday afternoon at Joe Lee Griffin Stadium in a Southern Conference series opener, with first pitch scheduled under clear skies and 71 degrees.

Wofford (33-19) enters after a 7-6 loss to Samford on Thursday, a game in which the Terriers’ Alec Bouchard took a no-hitter into the sixth inning but allowed five earned runs. Samford (27-23) rallied for the one-run win.

Bouchard is a key figure for Wofford. The right-hander worked 6.0 innings Thursday, striking out eight without allowing a hit, but walked five and exited with the game tied. Over his past four starts, Bouchard has 36 strikeouts in 28.1 innings, including a complete-game, 14-strikeout performance May 1 against Western Carolina.

Samford counters with reliever John Whitney, who earned the win Thursday with 3.0 scoreless innings in the Bulldogs’ 7-6 victory. Whitney allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one. The left-hander has been inconsistent this season, posting a 0.00 ERA in 2.1 innings over two wins but also allowing two earned runs in one inning May 8 at Citadel.

Thursday’s game featured strong offensive performances. Samford catcher Cade Carr went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Wofford center fielder Niko Brini drove in three runs. The Bulldogs’ bullpen delivered 4.1 scoreless innings, with Zak Spurrier contributing 2.0 hitless frames.

Wofford has lost three of its past four games, including a series loss to East Tennessee State at home. Samford has won three of four after dropping two of three at Citadel.

The Interstat game simulator projects a 6-3 Samford victory, with an ELO-based win probability of 52 percent for the Bulldogs.

The teams conclude the series Saturday at Joe Lee Griffin Stadium.