Game Notes | Overall Stats | Live Stats | Video

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel baseball team will host its final non-conference weekend series of the season when Presbyterian comes to Joe Riley Park for a three-game set.
 
The Bulldogs (7-10) dropped a midweek series to No. 19 Clemson March 15-16 and will look rebound against the 10-6 Blue Hose.
 
First pitch for Friday's game is slated to begin at 5 p.m. with the Saturday and Sunday games beginning at 1 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at CitadelSports.com. For tickets, call 843-953-DOGS (3647) or visit CitadelSports.com/tickets.
 
Notes:
• The Bulldogs dropped two midweek games to the 19th-ranked Clemson Tigers by scores of 12-1 and 5-4.
• In his first start this season, Shy Phillips recorded the lone RBI on Tuesday for the Bulldogs, hitting a sacrifice fly to right field to score Jason Smith from 3rd base.
• The Citadel had two freshmen pitchers throw solid innings in relief against the Tigers. Jordan Merritt eclipsed new career-highs against Clemson on March 15, striking out four batters and giving up just two hits over 2.2 innings of work. Dylan Spence, making just his fourth appearance this season, struck out a career-best seven of the 14 batters he faced and allowed one run in 3.0 innings.
• As a team, the Bulldogs' pitching staff combined to strike out 23 Tigers in the series. Spence led all 11 of the pitchers that saw action in the games with seven Ks.
• After throwing out two Clemson runners trying to steal second in the midweek series, senior catcher Stephen Windham now has thrown out nine runners this season.
• Wednesday's game marked the third time this season that a crowd of more than 4,500 fans have watched The Citadel take on a top-20 opponent.
• The Citadel and Presbyterian last squared off on May 12, 2015 with the Blue Hose taking the contest 6-3.
• Last year's meeting was the first between the two schools since 2011 when the Bulldogs swept the series from Presbyterian 13-2, 8-2 and 5-3.
• This will be the first three-game series between the two schools since that series in 2011.
• Steven Hansen recorded just the second triple of his career on Wednesday against Clemson, hitting the leadoff shot in the seventh inning with the Bulldogs trailing 3-2.
• After tallying a hit and an RBI on March 17, William Kinney has extended his reached base streak to six games. The sophomore has 10 hits this season and seven RBI. He is also one of only three Bulldogs who have started every game this year with Bret Hines and Austin Mapes having started all 17 contests.
• Mike Deese leads the team with 15 hits, 13 runs and 22 total bases this season. The senior also holds the squads second-best batting average (.288) and slugging percentage (.423).
• Jason Smith is a perfect 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts.
• Thomas Byelick and JP Sears rank fourth and sixth, respectively, in the conference in ERA. Byelick currently holds a 2.42 ERA with Sears trailing closely behind at 2.91. The duo are also ranked in the top-10 in opposing batting average. Sears has held opponents to a .226 average for third-best in the conference while Byelick is eighth in the SoCon at .240.
• Kyle Smith has been clutch with runners in scoring position this year. Smith kept USC Upstate from tacking on any more runs on March 8 with a strikeout to end the frame and then struck out the last two batters in the inning against Richmond on March 9 with runners on first and second to preserve the Bulldogs' 4-2 lead.
• In 11 appearances this season, Zach Lavery has 13 strikeouts in 13.0 innings pitched. The senior picked up his first win of the season in relief on Feb. 27. Lavery leads the team in appearances with Kyle Smith and Zach McKay the next closest with nine. He is also tied for first in the conference with eight games finished and second with three saves. Lavery is tied for first in the conference with 11 appearances and 11 games in relief.
• JP Sears reached the 100-career strikeout mark on March 4 and after fanning six on March 11, now has 107 strikeouts for his career.
 
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