April 3, 2004

Box Score

Charleston, SC - Mark Egleton and Will Coker both connected for two-run home runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to help The Citadel take down Appalachian State 9-1 Saturday afternoon in Southern Conference baseball action from Riley Park.

Appalachian State (4-23, 2-12 SoCon) took an early 1-0 lead in the third thanks to a two-out solo homer off the bat of center fielder Doug Fowler. Fowler drilled the first pitch he saw over the left field wall for his third round-tripper of the season.

The Citadel (18-9, 10-1 SoCon) answered in the bottom of the fifth with three runs to take the lead 3-1. With junior catcher Will Coker on first, sophomore outfielder Matt Covington ripped a double to left that allowed Coker to race home from first for the Bulldogs' first run of the game. Later in the fifth frame, senior left fielder Andy Phillips plated two on a base hit to right field. Covington and sophomore center fielder Trent Weathers both crossed home plate to give the Dogs their first lead of the game. With a 3-1 lead after five innings, Citadel starting pitcher Ken Egleton had all the run support he needed as he worked eight innings surrendering only the Fowler homer. He allowed seven total hits and struck out 10, which tied a career high for the second-year right-hander.

In the sixth, the Bulldogs added to two runs to extend their lead to 5-1. After reaching on a throwing error, junior second baseman Jon Aughey scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Coker. Coker, who stole second and moved to third on an infield hit by Covington, scampered home on a wild pitch by Mountaineer starting pitcher Scott Clark.

The Bulldogs put the game away in the eighth on Mark Egleton and Will Coker's two two-run dingers. Egleton's blast brought home Aughey as Egelton lined his second dinger of the year over the left field wall. Two batters later with pinch hitter Matt Matulia on first, Coker tattooed a 2-1 pitch out to left-center for only his second career home run.

Ken Egleton got the win increasing his record to 5-1 on the year, while freshman southpaw Ryan Howe pitched a scoreless ninth to close the book on Appalachian State. Clark (1-5) took the loss for ASU giving up five runs, three earned, on seven hits, while fanning 11. Mountaineer reliever Jonathan Reeder surrendered both Citadel homers in the eighth.

With the win, The Citadel clinched the series victory over the Mountaineers giving the Bulldogs the edge in all four SoCon series they have played thus far in 2004. With a win in tomorrow's game three, Fred Jordan's club will have swept three of four SoCon teams. Sunday's series finale is slated to start at 1 pm in Riley Park.