Box Score (PDF)

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Despite scoring two runs in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game up, The Citadel baseball team dropped a tough 10-9 decision in the bottom of the ninth inning at ETSU on Friday afternoon.
 
Just like the previous game on Thursday the Bulldogs (16-39, 6-17 SoCon) jumped out to an early lead, scoring three runs on four hits to take a 3-0 advantage over the Bucs (25-28, 12-11 SoCon) in the first inning. The Citadel added two more runs in the second and third innings thanks to a sacrifice fly by Stephen Windham and Barrett Charpia's fifth home run this year to give the Bulldogs a 5-0 lead.
 
ETSU scored its first runs of the game in the bottom of the third on a two-run home run to make it a 5-2 game. Following the home run, The Citadel pitching staff combined to retire nine straight batters and maintain the 5-2 lead.
 
The Citadel's sixth run of the game came courtesy of a Ben Peden homer over the left field wall in the sixth inning, pushing the Bulldogs' lead to 6-2. The home run was the seventh of the season for Peden.
 
The score remained 6-2 until the bottom of the seventh inning when ETSU plated seven to take a 9-6 lead.
 
Peden drove in his second run of the game in the top of the eighth, scoring Clay Martin from third to cut into ETSU's lead and make it 9-7. The Bulldogs' rally didn't end in the eighth inning though as The Citadel loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with no outs and then scored two runs on sacrifice hits to tie the game at 9-9.
 
ETSU clinched the win a half inning later, leading off the inning with a ground-rule double, then advancing the winning run to third on a groundout and coming home to score one pitch later on a single up the middle.
 
Jacob Watcher, Hines and Martin all finished with multiple hits in the game while Peden, Charpia and Martin combined to score six of the Bulldogs' nine runs in the game. Windham and Peden both finished with two RBI apiece.
 
Watcher made his 12th start on the mound this season, tossing 4.0 innings and surrendering just three hits. Beau Strickland, Kyle Smith and Zach Lavery combined to pitch the remainder of the game.
 
The series concludes Saturday at 1 p.m. for the last game of the 2016 regular season. Live stats, video and audio will be available at CitadelSports.com for the game.
 
Scoring Summary
Top 1st – The Citadel 1, ETSU 0: Clay Martin scored from 2nd on a single to left field by Stephen Windham with one out
Top 1st – The Citadel 2, ETSU 0: Ben Peden scored from 3rd on a single to center field by Jacob Watcher with two outs
Top 1st – The Citadel 3, ETSU 0: Stephen Windham scored from 3rd on a passed ball with two outs
Top 2nd – The Citadel 4, ETSU 0: Taylor Cothran scored from 3rd on a sacrifice fly to center field by Stephen Windham for the second out
Top 3rd – The Citadel 5, ETSU 0: Barrett Charpia hit a solo home run over the right center field wall with no outs
Bottom 3rd – The Citadel 5, ETSU 2: Jeremy Taylor scored from 2nd on a home run over the left field wall by Trey York with one out
Top 6th – The Citadel 6, ETSU 2: Ben Peden hit a solo home run over the left field wall with two outs
Bottom 7th – The Citadel 6, ETSU 5: Blake Rowlett scored from 2nd and Christian Bailey scored from 1st on a home run over the right field wall by Andrew Lasure with one out
Bottom 7th – The Citadel 6, ETSU 6: Jeremy Taylor scored from 1st on a double to right field by Trey York with one out
Bottom 7th – ETSU 7, The Citadel 6: Trey York scored from 3rd after Blake Rowlett drew a walk with two outs
Bottom 7th – ETSU 9, The Citadel 6: Aaron Maher scored from 3rd and Kevin Phillips scored from 2nd on a single to center field by Robby McCabe with two outs
Top 8th – ETSU 9, The Citadel 7: Clay Martin scored from 3rd on a sacrifice fly to center field by Ben Peden for the second out
Top 9th – ETSU 9, The Citadel 8: Bret Hines scored from 3rd on a sacrifice fly in right field foul territory by William Kinney for the first out
Top 9th – The Citadel 9, ETSU 9: Barrett Charpia scored from 3rd on a sacrifice fly to right center field by Steven Hansen for the second out
Bottom 9th – ETSU 10, The Citadel 9: Hagen Owenby scored from 3rd on a single up the middle by Kevin Phillips with one out
 
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