Box Score (PDF) | Overall Stats

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel baseball team took its series over Southern Conference-leading Western Carolina on Sunday with a 6-4 win inside Joe Riley Park.
 
With the three-game series up for grabs, the Bulldogs (15-26, 5-7 SoCon) struck first with three runs in the third inning. Clay Martin drew a bases-loaded walk with one out to give the 'Dogs a 1-0 lead and then Shy Phillips followed with a two-run single up the middle to make it 3-0. Following the end of the frame, Western Carolina (21-18, 11-4 SoCon) was forced to make a pitching change and removed its starter after just three innings of work.
 
The Citadel continued to pad its lead in the fourth inning, scoring two after William Kinney laced a one-out double down the left field line to make it 5-0 in favor of the 'Dogs.
 
Western Carolina scored its first run of the game in the fifth inning, stringing together three hits in the frame, but Jacob Watcher forced two fly outs to keep the Bulldogs' lead at four.
 
The Bulldogs kept the offense rolling in the fifth inning as Stephen Windham smacked a two-out double to the right field wall to score Martin from third and extend the lead to five.
 
The Catamounts threatened again in the sixth inning, tacking on one run on a wild pitch and loading the bases before Kyle Smith came on in relief and forced a fly out to keep the Bulldogs' lead at 6-2.
 
Zach Lavery entered in the eighth inning after the Catamounts scored two in the frame and slammed the door on WCU's comeback attempt. The senior, who retired the side in order in the ninth, allowed one hit in 1.1 innings of work en route to his seventh save this season and second of the series.
 
Watcher picked up his fifth win this season in 5.0 innings of work, allowing four hits and striking out two.
 
Offensively, The Citadel finished three-for-six with a runner on third base and outhit the Catamounts for the second time in the series, 10-9. Jason Smith and Bret Hines both finished with two hits in the contest and Phillips and Kinney tallied two RBI. All but one starter had a hit for the Bulldogs.
 
The Bulldogs hit the road for their midweek matchup, facing Charlotte Tuesday at 6 p.m. Live stats and video will be available at CitadelSports.com for the game.
 
Scoring Summary
Bottom 3rd – The Citadel 1, Western Carolina 0: Bret Hines scored from 3rd after Clay Martin drew a bases-loaded walk with one out
Bottom 3rd – The Citadel 3, Western Carolina 0: Jason Smith scored from 2nd and Barrett Charpia scored from 3rd on a single up the middle by Shy Phillips with one out
Bottom 4th – The Citadel 5, Western Carolina 0: Ben Peden scored from 2nd and Stephen Windham scored 3rd on a double down the left field line by William Kinney with one out
Top 5th – The Citadel 5, Western Carolina 1: Caleb Robinson scored from 2nd on a single to left field by J.D. Long with no outs
Bottom 5th – The Citadel 6, Western Carolina 1: Clay Martin scored from 2nd on a double to right field by Stephen Windham with two outs
Top 6th – The Citadel 6, Western Carolina 2: Matt Smith scored from 3rd on a wild pitch with one out
Top 8th – The Citadel 6, Western Carolina 3: Danny Bermudez scored from 3rd on a single to center field by Caleb Robinson with one out
Top 8th – The Citadel 6, Western Carolina 4: Caleb Robinson scored from 2nd on a single to right field by Garrett Brown with two outs
 
For more information on The Citadel baseball, follow @CitadelBaseball or visit CitadelSports.com.