CHARLESTON, S.C. - Connor Walsh singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, and Clay Martin provided late-game defensive and offensive heroics in The Citadel's 4-3 victory over Wofford, evening the Southern Conference series at a game apiece.

The Bulldogs improved to 16-17 and 2-6 in the SoCon while the Terriers dropped to 26-12 and 4-4 in the league. The rubber game of the series at Riley Park is Sunday at 1 p.m. and can be seen on the SoCon Digital Network. It is also a Spike's KIDet Club game, with all members receiving free admission.

With the game tied at 3, Martin singled to lead off the bottom of the ninth off Spencer Kulman (5-2), and Terrier closer Will Stillman hit Johnathan Stokes and walked Drew Ellis to load the bases with one out. Walsh followed by grounding a single to right through a drawn-in infield to bring home Martin with the decisive run.

Wofford tied the game with a run in the top of the ninth against eventual winning pitcher Skylar Hunter (2-4), but Martin prevented it from being an even bigger inning. With runners at second and third and one out, Alec Paradowski hit a drive into the gap in right center that appeared ticketed for extra bases.

But Martin made a sensational diving catch on the warning track and had the presence of mind to flip the ball to right fielder Walsh. Walsh fired it in to Bret Hines, whose relay to Ryan Kilgallen nailed Derek Hirsch at the plate trying to score all the way from second and hold the play to just a dramatic sacrifice fly.

William Kinney tied the game at 2 in the seventh with his second home run of the week, a shot to left center that bounced off the glove of James Plaisted and snuck over the wall. One out later, Martin chopped a double down the right field line and scored on an RBI single by Stokes to put The Citadel in front 3-2.

JP Sears worked the first 5 1/3 innings for the Bulldogs and allowed six hits and two runs while tying his season high with eight strikeouts. Zach Sherrill relieved Sears in the sixth and worked out of a second and third, one-out jam before Hunter went the final three innings.

The appearance for Sherrill was the 131st of his career, just four shy of The Citadel school record held by Raymond Copenhaver. Sherrill also ranks second among active Division I pitchers in that category, trailing only UCLA's David Berg.

Luke Leftwich started for the Terriers and gave up eight hits and three runs with eight punch outs in 6 2/3 innings.

Mack Nathanson slugged his fourth home run of the year to give Wofford a 1-0 lead in the second, and Stokes had his first RBI of the game with a single in the third. It stayed a 1-1 contest until the sixth when Wofford went ahead on a leadoff double by Matt Ramsay and a single by Plaisted.