CHARLESTON, SC – The Citadel scored six runs in the first two innings and never looked back as the Bulldogs defeated UNC Greensboro 9-5 Sunday afternoon at Riley Park to claim the series two games to one.
Bulldog starting pitcher Matt Crim improved his record to 4-0 after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits in six innings of work.
Wes McCall (1-5) took the loss for the Spartans after allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits in four innings of mound duty. Jonathan Nichols, Ryan Clear, Greg Martin and Patrick Currin also saw time on the hill for UNCG. Currin extended his scoreless streak to 11 innings after hurling 2-1/3 innings.
Chris Swauger put The Citadel out in front 1-0 in the bottom of the first when the leftfielder laced a two-out solo homerun over the rightfield wall. The Bulldogs continued to play long ball in the frame and took a 3-0 lead in the process as designated hitter Sonny Meade crushed a two-run roundtripper over the leftfield wall after Zach Brown singled to rightfield to extend the inning. Matt Matulia scored the fourth run of the inning when he came around to score on an error on the Spartan infield with Sid Fallaw batting.
The Citadel (15-13, 3-3 SoCon) tacked on another two runs in the bottom of the second to take a commanding 6-0 lead. Trent Weathers was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and then stole both second and third before Swauger picked up his second RBI of the game on a triple to the deepest part of the park in centerfield. Brown followed with a RBI groundout to first base to score Swauger from third.
UNCG (11-18, 2-4 SoCon) pushed across three runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut the Bulldog lead in half highlighted by a two-run single from Guy Welsh. Jermaine Mitchell reached base on a single on the infield and Greg Feltes followed with a single of his own to rightfield. Both runners moved up 90 feet on stolen bases before Welsh collected his team-leading 19th and 20th RBIs when he laced a single to left. Welsh advanced to second on a throwing error on the leftfielder on the throw home, and then swiped third base prior to Logan Smith's RBI groundout to short for the third run of the inning.
The Bulldogs scored three runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to regain their six-run lead. Swauger collected two more RBI's for a game-high four as he hit a triple into the rightfield corner to give The Citadel a 9-3 lead. Prior to his at-bat, the Bulldogs scored a run on a bases loaded wild pitch charged to Spartan reliever Greg Martin.
UNCG picked up a pair of runs in the top of the ninth on an RBI single from Feltes and an RBI double from Greg Matson to make the score 9-5, but a nice play from pitcher Link Saunders to retire Roly Gonzalez on a slow roller secured the win for the homestanding Bulldogs.
Feltes and Mitchell both finished the contest with two hits apiece to lead the Spartans. Swauger ended his afternoon for the Bulldogs going 3-for-4 with four RBI.
UNCG returns to the diamond Wednesday when the Spartans host in-state rival UNC Asheville at 6 p.m. from UNCG Baseball Stadium.
AGATE:
The Citadel 9, UNCG 5 (Apr 02, 2006 at Charleston, S.C.)
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UNCG................ 000 030 002 - 5 9 1 (11-18, 2-4 SoCon)
The Citadel......... 420 003 00X - 9 12 2 (15-13, 3-3 SoCon)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Wes McCall; Jonathan Nichols(5); Ryan Clear(6); Greg Martin(6);
Patrick Currin(6). The Citadel - Crim; J. Smith(7); Saunders(9).
Win-Crim(4-0) Loss-Wes McCall(1-5) T-2:52 A-792
HR CIT - Swauger (5); Meade (1).
Game notes:
Clear faced 1 batter in the 6th.
- UNCG -
