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The Citadel downs ETSU to advance at SoCon Championship
CHARLESTON, S.C. – No. 8 seed The Citadel scored five runs in the seventh inning to blow open a close game and went on to eliminate No. 9 seed ETSU by an 8-2 score on Tuesday in the single-elimination play-in game of the Southern Conference Baseball Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
The Bulldogs (26-28) advance to face No. 1 seed Mercer in the double-elimination portion of the tournament Wednesday at 5 p.m. ETSU sees its season end at 21-35.
With the score 3-2 heading to the home half of the seventh, The Citadel banged out five hits to pull away. A walk and two singles loaded the bases with one out, and Austin Mapes drew a walk to knock in the first run of the inning. Johnathan Stokes followed with an RBI single, and one out later, Stephen Windham hit a two-run single to right. Drew Ellis followed with a double down the right-field line to drive in Stokes and cap the scoring.
Bulldog closer Skylar Hunter took over from there, allowing just one hit over the final two innings as The Citadel prolonged its season and improved to 11-0 against the Bucs (21-35) in the SoCon tournament all-time.
SoCon Pitcher of the Year James Reeves improved to 8-3 on the season, allowed a pair of runs – one earned – on seven hits and a walk in seven innings of work. He struck out eight on the day to push his season total to a SoCon-best 111 on the year.
Jimmy Nesselt (5-7) took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out for to run his season total to 107, the second-best mark in the league.
The Citadel jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of three hits, a walk and a bit of good fortune. With Stokes aboard with a leadoff walk and Windham on first after a one-out single, Steven Hansen sent a drive to the gap in left-center. ETSU center fielder Jeremy Taylor and left fielder Jordan Sanford were both on a dead run for the ball and Taylor seemingly made the catch, but the pair collided, jarring the ball loose for a two-run double. Ryan Kilgallen followed with a single to center to score Hansen with the Bulldogs’ third run of the inning.
ETSU got a run back in the top of the sixth, as Trey York coaxed a one-out walk and then went to third on Reeves’ errant pickoff attempt. Kevin Phillips followed with an RBI groundout to get the Bucs on the board and make it a 3-1 game.
The margin was cut in half the following inning, as pinch-hitter Robby McCabe lined the first single he saw up the middle to score Zach Thompson, who had reached on an infield single and stolen second.
Windham, Jacob Watcher and William Kinney had two hits each to pace The Citadel, with Windham and Hansen driving in two runs each.
Thompson was 2-for-4 for the Bucs’ only multi-hit game.
The tournament resumes with four games Wednesday, starting with No. 2 seed Samford taking on No. 7 seed Western Carolina at 9 a.m. Every game of the tournament will be streamed live and free on the SoCon Digital Network with the exception of Sunday’s championship tilt, which will air on ESPN3.
May 19 (Tuesday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 1: #8 The Citadel 8, #9 ETSU 2
May 20 (Wednesday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 2: #7 Western Carolina vs. #2 Samford 9 a.m.
Game 3: #3 Wofford vs. #6 Furman 12:30 p.m.
Game 4: #8 The Citadel vs. #1 Mercer 5 p.m.
Game 5: #4 VMI vs. #5 UNCG 8:30 p.m.
May 21 (Thursday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 6: Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3 9 a.m.
Game 7: Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 5 12:30 p.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3 5 or 8:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 5 or 8:30 p.m.
May 22 (Friday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 10: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8 3 p.m.
Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 9 6:30 p.m.
May 23 (Saturday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 12: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 10 9 a.m.
Game 13: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11 12:30 p.m.
Game 14: Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12^ 5 p.m.
Game 15: Winner Game 13 vs. Loser Game 13^ 8:30 p.m.
^ if necessary
May 24 (Sunday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (ESPN3)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Championship game 2 p.m.
The Bulldogs (26-28) advance to face No. 1 seed Mercer in the double-elimination portion of the tournament Wednesday at 5 p.m. ETSU sees its season end at 21-35.
With the score 3-2 heading to the home half of the seventh, The Citadel banged out five hits to pull away. A walk and two singles loaded the bases with one out, and Austin Mapes drew a walk to knock in the first run of the inning. Johnathan Stokes followed with an RBI single, and one out later, Stephen Windham hit a two-run single to right. Drew Ellis followed with a double down the right-field line to drive in Stokes and cap the scoring.
Bulldog closer Skylar Hunter took over from there, allowing just one hit over the final two innings as The Citadel prolonged its season and improved to 11-0 against the Bucs (21-35) in the SoCon tournament all-time.
SoCon Pitcher of the Year James Reeves improved to 8-3 on the season, allowed a pair of runs – one earned – on seven hits and a walk in seven innings of work. He struck out eight on the day to push his season total to a SoCon-best 111 on the year.
Jimmy Nesselt (5-7) took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out for to run his season total to 107, the second-best mark in the league.
The Citadel jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of three hits, a walk and a bit of good fortune. With Stokes aboard with a leadoff walk and Windham on first after a one-out single, Steven Hansen sent a drive to the gap in left-center. ETSU center fielder Jeremy Taylor and left fielder Jordan Sanford were both on a dead run for the ball and Taylor seemingly made the catch, but the pair collided, jarring the ball loose for a two-run double. Ryan Kilgallen followed with a single to center to score Hansen with the Bulldogs’ third run of the inning.
ETSU got a run back in the top of the sixth, as Trey York coaxed a one-out walk and then went to third on Reeves’ errant pickoff attempt. Kevin Phillips followed with an RBI groundout to get the Bucs on the board and make it a 3-1 game.
The margin was cut in half the following inning, as pinch-hitter Robby McCabe lined the first single he saw up the middle to score Zach Thompson, who had reached on an infield single and stolen second.
Windham, Jacob Watcher and William Kinney had two hits each to pace The Citadel, with Windham and Hansen driving in two runs each.
Thompson was 2-for-4 for the Bucs’ only multi-hit game.
The tournament resumes with four games Wednesday, starting with No. 2 seed Samford taking on No. 7 seed Western Carolina at 9 a.m. Every game of the tournament will be streamed live and free on the SoCon Digital Network with the exception of Sunday’s championship tilt, which will air on ESPN3.
May 19 (Tuesday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 1: #8 The Citadel 8, #9 ETSU 2
May 20 (Wednesday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 2: #7 Western Carolina vs. #2 Samford 9 a.m.
Game 3: #3 Wofford vs. #6 Furman 12:30 p.m.
Game 4: #8 The Citadel vs. #1 Mercer 5 p.m.
Game 5: #4 VMI vs. #5 UNCG 8:30 p.m.
May 21 (Thursday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 6: Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 3 9 a.m.
Game 7: Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 5 12:30 p.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3 5 or 8:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 5 or 8:30 p.m.
May 22 (Friday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 10: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 8 3 p.m.
Game 11: Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 9 6:30 p.m.
May 23 (Saturday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (all games on SDN)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Game 12: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 10 9 a.m.
Game 13: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 11 12:30 p.m.
Game 14: Winner Game 12 vs. Loser Game 12^ 5 p.m.
Game 15: Winner Game 13 vs. Loser Game 13^ 8:30 p.m.
^ if necessary
May 24 (Sunday)
SoCon Championship presented by Mountain Shore Properties (ESPN3)
(Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park; Charleston, S.C.)
Championship game 2 p.m.
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