Feb. 9, 2006
Charleston, S.C. -
The Citadel opens the 2006 regular season with the Springmaid Beach Resort Tournament hosted by Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C., February 10-12. Tournament participants include Virginia, Campbell and Coastal Carolina. The Bulldogs will face the Cavaliers at noon on Friday and then take on the Camels at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. The Citadel will face the Chanticleers later this season (April 12).
The 2006 Citadel baseball team should benefit from a very experienced core group as the Bulldogs return 17 upperclassmen, nine position players and eight pitchers. The Bulldogs lost eight seniors to graduation last year, including five starters, but with an experienced roster and a wealth of fresh talent, the 2006 club hopes to continue their championship tradition.
Since 1967, the Diamond Dogs have compiled a 21-18 win-loss record in season openers. Last year, the Bulldogs opened on the road with a 9-4 loss at the hands of UNC Charlotte on February 12.
Friday's meeting between The Citadel and Virginia marks the fourth time the two schools will play each other. The Cavaliers hold a 3-0 edge over the Bulldogs with the last meeting coming in 2002 at the Berkeley Electric Coop Shootout hosted at Riley Park. That year, the Cavaliers barely escaped with a 5-4 victory.
Saturday's game against Campbell will be the 16th meeting between the Bulldogs and Camels. The last was in 1994 when the Dogs defeated Campbell 8-0 in Buies Creek, N.C. and claimed a 10-6 victory later the same year at Riley Park. The Citadel holds a 12-2 advantage in the series with one tie. The Camels have never defeated a Fred Jordan coached squad as Jordan owns a 4-0 record over Campbell.
Catch every pitch of The Citadel's season opener by going to Coastal Carolina's tournament web site http://www.goccusports.com/?tournament=5 and clicking on live stats.
The Bulldogs' home opener is slated for next Friday, February 17 at 4:00 p.m. as the Diamond Dogs host the Richmond Spiders in the Homewood Suites Shootout presented by Trademark Properties February, 17-19. Tournament participants include Richmond, No.4 Nebraska and N.C. State. For tickets to the Homewood Suites Shootout, and all Citadel home games, contact The Citadel ticket office at (843) 953-7181.
