2014: Started all 51 games in which he appeared at second base or in centerfield … Finished the season second on the team with a .294 batting average … Was tied for eighth in the conference with 17 doubles ... Ranked second on the team with 18 multi-hit games … Featured the longest hitting streak of the season of any Spartan at 11 games … Paced the Spartans with 33 RBIs and a .428 slugging percentage … Hit a grand slam for his first career home run and had a career-high four RBIs in Upstate’s 13-2 win over Dayton (Feb. 16) … Had three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored in the Spartans’ 8-6 upset win over No. 25 Kentucky (Feb. 17) … Went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored in Upstate’s 6-3 victory over Lipscomb (Mar. 29) … Had three hits at ETSU (May 3) and against Charleston Southern (May 13) … Finished the season with two hits and two runs at Stetson (May 17) … Appeared in 14 games as a relief pitcher and featured a team-best 1.71 earned run average in 21.0 innings pitched … Didn’t allow an earned run until Mar. 16 at North Florida … Allowed no more than one earned run in any of his 14 appearances … Paced the Spartans in wins on his way to a 5-3 record … Ranked second on the team with two saves ... Allowed just four earned runs all season while holding opponents to a .250 batting average … Picked up victories against Butler (Feb. 23), Bryant (Mar. 1) and La Salle (Mar. 9) … Won back-to-back games at Northern Kentucky (Apr. 11 & 12), including Upstate’s 3-2 thriller in 16 innings to claim the series.
2013: Started 13 games for USC Upstate in 2013 and finished the season with a .281 batting average … Finished second on the team with two triples … Posted a .351 slugging percentage and a .349 on-base percentage … Committed just six errors and ended the season with a .922 fielding percentage … Ranked fourth on the team with 43 assists as both and infielder and outfielder … Turned in a 3.33 earned run average in 24 appearances and 27.0 innings of relief work … Averaged nearly one strikeout per inning … Allowed only four extra-base hits and limited hitters to a .191 batting average … Went 2-for-3 with a run scored against Akron (Mar. 10) … Was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored in a victory at Presbyterian (Apr. 2) … Tallied two hits, one run scored and one RBI in a win at Charleston Southern (May 8) … Didn’t allow a run in his first 14.1 innings of work, which covered a stretch of 12 games … Struck out six of the first 12 batters he faced to open the season … did not allow an extra-base hit until his 16th appearance of the season … Held opponents to a .151 batting average with runners on base.
2012: Appeared in three games for the Spartans as a freshman… Tallied one hit in four at-bats on the year. Recorded lone hit of the season at Mercer (May 18)… Appeared in pinch hit roles at Belmont and Georgia State and stayed in to play second base… A member of the A-Sun All-Academic Team.
Before USC Upstate: Was a four-year starter as part of the varsity baseball team at Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, S.C… Finished prep career with 115 hits… Named All-Region final three seasons at Wade Hampton HS… Was a three-time South Carolina All-State Team selection (2009, 2010, 2011)… Batted .419 as a senior and served as a team captain… Was named the school’s Wendy’s Heisman winner and picked up National Scholar-Athletic honors from the U.S. Army Reserve following senior season… Posted a .491 batting average as a sophomore, 50 points better than sophomore campaign (.441)… Finished rookie season with a .407 batting average and earned All-State Rookie Team honors… Was a member of the cross country team for four years… Served as the Student Body President as a senior and graduated Summa Cum Laude after posting fifth-best GPA in senior class.
Personal: Born on Feb. 17, 1993 in Atlanta, Ga… Son of Glenn and Terri Samples… Has two sisters… Undecided on major… Enjoys hanging out with friends and playing baseball… Favorite movie is “Hall Pass”… Favorite TV show is “Big Bang Theory”… Favorite season is winter… Likes eating Mexican food… Hero growing up was his father… Favorite sports figure is Chipper Jones… Favorite quote is “Character is defined by what you do when nobody is looking”… Aspires to play professional baseball.
