Boxscore

CHARLESTON, S.C. - James Reeves tossed six stellar innings, striking out 14 while allowing only two hits and no walks, to lead The Citadel to a 5-3 win over Air Force in the season opener for both teams Friday at Riley Park.

The teams complete the three-game series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon. The Sunday game was moved up a day in anticipation of freezing temperatures in the Charleston area near the close of the weekend.

Reeves fell one shy of his career high strikeout total set last season at Davidson and gave up both of his hits in the second when the Falcons scored their only run off the redshirt junior southpaw. Reeves was making his first start since last March 30, missing the second half of the 2014 campaign with an elbow injury.

Skylar Hunter worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to close out Air Force for his 29th career save, tying Citadel Hall of Famer Hank Kraft for the most in school history. Hunter was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason All-America third team last week.

Reeves and the bullpen were backed by a nine-hit attack that included a two-run double by Bret Hines in the third that broke a 1-1 tie and gave The Citadel the lead for good. Freshman Shy Phillips had three hits in his collegiate debut, while Connor Walsh slammed his first career home run.

Griffin Jax allowed eight hits and all five Bulldog runs in six plus innings and took the loss for the Falcons.

Reeves struck out the side in the first and fifth and had a pair of punch outs in his other four frames. He threw a total of 89 pitches with 62 strikes and went to a three-ball count on only three batters.

Set up men Zach Sherrill and Zach Lavery struck out two each in their one inning on the mound, giving Bulldog pitchers 19 in the game, tied for the second most in school history and two away from the record set against Appalachian State on April 12, 1997.

Walsh's round tripper leading off the bottom of the second hit about halfway up the video board in right center to match a Falcon run in the top of the inning. A fielder's choice grounder by Drew Ellis and sacrifice fly by Johnathan Stokes made it 5-2 in the seventh.

Ellis also singled in the first for his first collegiate hit while joining Phillips, second baseman Philip Watcher and right fielder Clay Martin as freshmen in The Citadel's starting lineup.