GREENVILLE, S.C. (Interstat) — Samford built a six-run lead and then survived a late comeback bid by Western Carolina, securing a 9-5 victory Thursday afternoon in the opening round of the Southern Conference Baseball Championship at Fluor Field.

The fourth-seeded Bulldogs improved to 30-24, while the top-seeded Catamounts dropped to 35-22. Both teams finished with 11 hits, but Samford’s timely power proved decisive.

Samford struck first in the top of the first inning. Jeffrey Ince doubled to right field, moved to third on a groundout and scored on Jake Souders’ double to right center. The Bulldogs added two more in the fourth. After a walk and a single, a fielding error allowed a run, and a wild pitch brought home another, making it 3-0.

The game turned in the sixth inning. Samford loaded the bases with two walks and a single, and Ince doubled to right center, driving in two runs for a 5-0 lead. Luke Boykin doubled in the seventh to score Souders, extending the margin to 6-0.

Western Carolina finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth, scoring an unearned run on a fielding error. The Catamounts then cut the lead in half in the seventh. After Noah Quarless was hit by a pitch and advanced on a wild pitch, Mason Holton homered to right field, scoring Quarless and himself to make it 6-2.

Samford answered immediately in the top of the eighth. Ince homered to left center, pushing the lead to 7-2. But Western Carolina again rallied. In the bottom of the eighth, Jake Turner singled, and Quarless followed with a two-run homer to center, pulling the Catamounts within 7-5.

The most critical moment came in the top of the ninth. With one out, Souders singled to right, and Boykin launched a two-run homer to left field, restoring a four-run cushion at 9-5. Samford closer Zak Spurrier then retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth, striking out two to seal the victory.

Ince was the top star for Samford, going 3 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs. He entered the game with a recent hot streak, having gone 1 for 3 against UNC Greensboro on Wednesday and 2 for 4 against Wofford on Saturday. Boykin finished 2 for 5 with a home run and three RBIs, and Souders collected three hits and an RBI.

On the mound, Samford used a committee of pitchers. John Whitney threw 3 1/3 hitless innings with three strikeouts. John Malone added 1 2/3 hitless frames with one strikeout. Noah Berry tossed 2/3 of a scoreless inning. Spurrier worked two innings, allowing two earned runs on zero hits with two strikeouts.

For Western Carolina, Quarless went 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, and Holton was 2 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. Starter Carter Burnette lasted 5 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and five earned runs while striking out seven.

The game was the first of a potential double-elimination series. Samford advanced to face the winner of the later contest. The Bulldogs had won three of their previous four games, including a 13-1 victory over UNC Greensboro. Western Carolina had taken two of three from UNC Greensboro in their last regular-season series.

No betting line was available for this game.