BOX SCORE (PDF)

GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Citadel baseball team's season ended on Tuesday afternoon after an 8-0 loss to VMI in the Southern Conference Championship presented by Holston Gases at Fluor Field.

Tuesday's play-in game was scheduled for a 10 a.m. start, but after multiple delays, it began at 4:30 p.m.

It was the toughest outing of the season for Southern Conference Pitcher of the Year JP Sears who allowed seven runs over 2.1 innings with four strikeouts. The junior struggled with control, walking five batters and hitting another three. The start was otherwise just a blemish in an all-time great season for Sears who entered the start leading the nation in strikeouts.

A six-run third inning was the story of the game as VMI loaded the bases on three walks. They then scored a run on a wild pitch, a squeeze bunt and a single, before a three-run home run capped off the big inning to take a 7-0 advantage.

Jordan Buster was excellent out of the bullpen, not allowing a base runner over 2.2 innings of work with four strikeouts. Marlin Morris also shut down the Keydets with two shutout innings and three strikeouts. Beau Strickland record the final two outs of the season in his last collegiate appearance on a ground ball double play that he started.

The Bulldogs put multiple runners on in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings, but could not muster any runs against VMI's Josh Winder.

Joe Sabatini led the offense with a 2-for-4 day, including a double. William Kinney and Jeffery Brown tallied the Bulldogs' remaining two hits.

The game also marked the final games in a Bulldog uniform for seniors Strickland and Barrett Charpia and graduate students Morris, Sabatini and Aaron Lesiak.

The Citadel ends the season with a 16-35 record and 7-17 in SoCon play.

Scoring Summary
Top 2nd – VMI 1, The Citadel 0: Jake Huggins scored from second on a double to left field by Jacob Jaye with two outs.
Top 3rd – VMI 2, The Citadel 0: Peyton Maddox scored from third on a wild pitch with one out.
Top 3rd – VMI 3, The Citadel 0: Jake Huggins scored from third on a single to center field by Josh Hollifield with one out.
Top 3rd – VMI 4, The Citadel 0: Matt Dunlevy scored from third on a fielder's choice, sacrifice bunt to first base by Michael Diodato with one out.
Top 3rd – VMI 7, The Citadel 0: Josh Hollifield and Michael Diotdato scored on a three-run home run to right field by Jacob Jaye with one out.
Top 9th – VMI 8, The Citadel 0: Matt Pita scored from third on a single through the left side by Collin Fleischer with one out.

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