CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel's Grant Richards drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the bottom of the eighth on a close call at first as the Bulldogs secured a series victory by taking game two, 5-4, against UNCG in Southern Conference action at Joseph P. Riley Park on Saturday afternoon.
In a crucial game two, The Citadel (15-21, 6-8 SoCon) rallied twice and used some home cooking to squeak out a one-run victory against UNCG.
UNCG (18-15, 4-10 SoCon) got on the board first in the top of the second inning. Senior Kris Richards proved to be a fit for the Bulldogs as he singled and proceeded to steal second. After swiping his fifth bag of the year, he advanced to third on a balk from Bulldogs starter Kevin Connell. Richards would score on a fielding error and give the Spartans their first lead of the series, 1-0.
The Spartans would score single runs in the third and fifth inning. In the third, Lloyd Enzor drilled his first of four hits on the day to left field for an RBI single scoring Thomas Troelstrup to extend the lead to 2-0.
Leading 2-0, Enzor struck again with a single that advanced Trevor Edwards to third, who ended up scoring on The Citadels' Johnathan Stokes second error of the day, giving UNCG a 3-0 lead.
UNCG starter Corey Taylor was masterful through the first four innings as he had only allowed two hits. However, trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth, the Bulldogs offense loaded the bases on three hits that didn't get out of the infield on three pitches. Hughston Armstrong drove in the Bulldogs first run on an RBI single up the middle to cut the deficit to two, 3-1 and to chase Taylor. The Citadel's Nick Orvin welcomed reliever Lee Gilliam with an RBI single of his own, the fifth consecutive single, to make it a 3-2 game in UNCG's favor. With the bases still loaded, Mason Davis chipped in with an RBI groundout to second to tie the game at three. Two batters later, Joe Jackson ripped an RBI single to left to give The Citadel its first lead of the day 4-3.
Coming into the game, UNCG had outscored opponents by 36-14 in the fifth inning.
Trailing by a run in the top of the seventh, Enzor continued to torture Bulldog pitching as he scored Zach Leach on an RBI single up the middle to knot the game up at four.
Tied up at 4 in the bottom of the eighth, The Citadel led off the inning with a bunt single off the bat of Jackson. After back-to-back groundouts, Richards dug in with two outs and a runner on third. Richards ripped the second pitch he saw from Gilliam to Edwards, who was playing his first game of the year at third base. Edwards made a magnificent back-handed grab and threw a bullet to first, but the umpire signaled safe and Jackson scored the decisive run.
UNCG would make it interesting as Leach extended his hitting streak to nine games to start the top of the ninth inning. Two batters later, Enzor singled once again to put runners on first and second. However, Ryan Hines got the one-out save by getting a popout to end the threat and secure the win.
With his single in the second, Richards extended his hitting streak to a team-high ten games. Enzor's four-hit performance is the second time he has accomplished the feat this season.
The Bulldog's James Reeves (5-3) gathered the win going 1 2/3 innings of three-hit shutout ball.
Gilliam (2-2) took the hard luck loss for the Spartans as he tossed four innings of four-hit one-run ball. He struck out three batters while walking one on 64 pitches.
The series finale will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
AGATE
The Citadel 5, UNCG 4 (Apr 14, 2012 at Charleston, S.C.)
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UNCG................ 011 010 100 - 4 9 0 (18-15, 4-10)
The Citadel......... 000 040 01X - 5 10 2 (15-21, 6-8)
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Pitchers: UNCG - Corey Taylor; Lee Gilliam(5) and Cambric Moye. The Citadel - Kevin Connell;
Ross White(6); James Reeves(8); Ryan Hines(9) and Grant Richards.
Win-James Reeves(5-3) Save-Ryan Hines(3) Loss-Lee Gilliam(2-2) T-2:55 A-312
Weather: 75 degrees and cloudy
Taylor faced 4 batters in the 5th.
- UNCG -
