Charleston, S.C. The Citadel scored eight runs across two innings late in the game but allowed 13 runs in the span of three innings early on as the Bulldogs dropped a 17-13 shootout at Georgia Southern Friday night in front of 1,762 at Clements Stadium.
The Bulldogs' Sonny Meade tied a career-high five hits and four runs and set a new career-high six RBI in the game with a 5-for-6 performance. Meade hit four consecutive singles before blasting a three-run home run in the seventh.
The Citadel (23-22, 11-11 Southern) scored 13 runs on 16 hits and committed four errors in the game while Georgia Southern (27-18, 11-8 SoCon) scored 17 runs on 19 hits.
Matt Crim (5-5) took the loss after only pitching two errors and allowing seven runs on eight hits. The Citadel was pitching by committee as six Bulldog hurlers took the mound in the game, none of which went longer than 2.0 innings.
Drew Murray (7-1) was credited with the win after allowing seven runs on 10 hits in 6.0 innings on the mound.
The Citadel jumped out from the start, scoring two runs in the first off a pair of RBI singles by Sonny Meade and Chris McGuiness. The Bulldogs replicated that run production in the second as Meade hit a two-run single to center.
The Georgia Southern offense exploded for 13 runs over the next three innings to take a commanding 13-5 lead at the end of four innings.
The Citadel added two more runs in the sixth as Richard Jones hit a two-run home run over the right field fence for his seventh home run of the season. Adding his 15 home runs from his freshman season, Jones now has 22 career home runs, placing him tied for 10th with Jon Aughey (2002-05) in The Citadel's career home runs chart.
After Georgia Southern followed Jones' home run with four runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldog bats came alive in the seventh as The Citadel scored six runs on four hits. McGuiness led off the inning with a double followed by Matt Arnold earning a walk. Kyle Jordan was hit by a pitch to load the bases and pinch hitter Brian Shubsda hit a sacrifice fly to send McGuiness across the plate.
Chris Swauger then reached base on a fielders choice ground ball to second that scored Arnold as the Eagles got Jordan out on the force at second. Conrad Kellahan walked and almost immediately went to second while Swauger went to third on a wild. Kellahan and Swauger would be immediately sent across the plate as Meade drilled the 1-0 pitch from Charlie Strohecker over the left field fence for a three-run home run.
After Georgia Southern brought in Aaron Eubanks to pitch, Jones drilled Eubanks first pitch to center field for a single. Trey Thomas, pinch hitting for Bryan Altman, hit a double to put Jones at third. A wild pitch by Eubanks would send Jones across the plate for the sixth run of the inning for the Bulldogs. McGuiness, who led off the inning with a double, ended the inning by striking out.
The Citadel failed to get a runner past first base in the eighth and ninth innings as Eagle closer Blake Nation took the mound and struck out three of the eight batters he faced in 2.0 innings, preventing the Bulldogs from rallying.
The Bulldogs and the Eagles return to action on Saturday, May 3 at Clements Stadium with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. For complete coverage of Bulldog Baseball, visit the official home of The Citadel Athletics at CitadelSports.com.
