May 20, 2004

Box Score

Charleston, SC - Jonathan Ellis pitched his sixth complete game of the year while helping The Citadel snap its six-game losing streak by downing UNCG 7-3 Thursday evening in Southern Conference baseball action in front of 2,114 fans at Riley Park.

The Citadel (31-25, 19-9 SoCon) jumped out to a 3-0 lead after scoring one run in the first inning and two in the second. In the first, sophomore designated hitter Mark Egleton drew a bases loaded walk to drive-in the Bulldogs first run of the game.

The Dogs plated two in the second thanks to a RBI-double off the bat of sophomore centerfielder Matt Covington and a run-scoring triple by junior right fielder Josh Stackley. The RBI-triple to right was Stackley's fifth of the season. UNC Greensboro (33-17-1, 16-12 SoCon) tied the score at 3-3 in the third on a single to right by first baseman Justin Crist and a Nate Alden two-run single to center. Both runs that scored on the Alden base knock were unearned due to a two-out throwing error by Citadel third baseman Chris Ard.

The Bulldogs quickly tacked on three more runs to retake the lead 6-3 with a two-run fourth and one run in the fifth. Senior first baseman Chip Cannon broke the 3-3 tie as he drove-home two runs on a double to left-center field in the fourth, while sophomore shortstop Matt Matulia plated Egleton on a sacrifice fly to center in the fifth.

The Citadel extended its lead to 7-3 thanks to a solo home run off the bat of Jon Aughey. Aughey blasted the 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for his seventh round-tripper of the year.

Ellis moved to 9-3 on the season thanks to his league leading sixth complete game of the season. He allowed three runs, one earned, on four hits, while fanning eight and walking three.

With the loss UNCG's Jay Metzger evened his record at 4-4. Metzger allowed six runs on eight hits and five base on balls. Spartan reliever Patrick Currin pitched the final two innings and surrendered one run on two hits, including the Aughey dinger.

Cannon's first inning walk, his 63rd of the year, moved him into a tied with Dan McDonnell for The Citadel's single-season base on balls record. McDonnell set the mark at 63 walks in 1992 after breaking his own record he set in 1990 with 62.

UNCG and The Citadel will square off again tomorrow at 5 pm for game-two of the three-game SoCon series.