CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel baseball team hits the road this weekend for the first road series of the season, traveling to long-time rival VMI. The Bulldogs and Keydets will open the series on Friday, March 30 with a 6 p.m. first game and will continue the series on Saturday, March 31 at 2 p.m. The series will conclude with a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday, April 1.

Probable Weekend Pitching Matchups
Friday, March 30 – Lexington, Va. – 6 p.m. – Live Stats – Live Video (ESPN3)
RHP Dylan Spence (1-2, 2.95 ERA, 39.2 IP) vs. RHP Josh Winder (1-3, 5.57 ERA, 32.1 IP)

Saturday, March 31 – Lexington, Va. – 2 p.m. – Live Stats – Live Video (ESPN3)
RHP Alex Bialakis (2-2, 3.09 ERA, 32 IP) vs. RHP Zak Kent (2-3, 4.86 ERA, 33.1 IP)

Sunday April 1 – Lexington, Va. – 1 p.m. – Live Stats – Live Video (ESPN3)
RHP Jordan Merritt (2-2, 6.59 ERA, 27.1 IP) vs. LHP Kyle Staats (2-1, 4.72 ERA, 26.2 IP)

Dating back to the 1965 season, the Bulldogs own a 70-24 record over the Keydets, including a 27-10 mark on the road. Last season, the Bulldogs claimed the regular-season series in 2-1 over the Keydets in Charleston, but VMI knocked the Bulldogs out of the SoCon Tournament later in the year. In the last 10 meetings, The Citadel has won six meetings, including taking 2-of-3 from the Keydets two seasons ago in Lexington.

VMI enters the weekend series with a 10-12 overall record, including going 4-8 in road games, and a 1-2 mark in SoCon play after dropping last weekend's series at UNCG. At the plate, the Keydets are collectively batting .268 with 141 runs scored ad 74 extra-base hits. They have 17 home runs on the year and are 43-of-49 (.878) on the base paths. In comparison, the Keydets have allowed opposing batters to hit at a .298 clip with 67 hits going for extras, but 26 have been home runs. VMI's opponents have swiped 46 base on 53 attempts (.868). In the field, VMI has committed 39 errors compared to 23 by their opposition.

Entering the weekend, four Keydets are batting over .300 led by Matt Pita's .378 average, including 37 hits. Pita also leads the team with 27 runs scored, 22 runs batted in, 13 doubles and five home runs. He is slugging .684 with a .430 in-base percentage and has 12 stolen bases on the year. Matt Dunlevy is currently batting .352 with 25 hits and 18 runs scored and Peyton Maddox is second on the team with seven doubles and 21 RBIs, but leads the way with a .484 on-base percentage. Nathan Eaton leads the squad with 16 stolen bases, 50 assists and 10 errors on the year. Will Malbon is the final VMI player batting over 300 with a .302 average.

VMI will stick with their normal pitching rotation this weekend, sending right-handers Josh Winder and Zak Kent to the mound on Friday and Saturday before turning to Kyle Staats for the finale on Sunday. Winder has made six appearances on the year for the Keydets and boasts a 5.57 ERA to go along with a 1-3 record in 32.1 innings of work. He has struck out 36 batters. Kent has also made six starts this season and enters the weekend with a 2-3 record and 4.86 earned run average in 33.1 innings of work. He has struck out 34 batters and boasts the trio's best opponent batting average at .228. Staats has made seven appearances this season, including five starts, and has pitched 26.2 innings. He brings a 4.72 ERA and 2-1 record into the series and has struck out 25 batters.

UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will remain on the road for a midweek game at Georgia Southern on Tuesday, April 3 before opening a nine-game homestand with a game against Winthrop on Wednesday, April 4. The Bulldogs will then welcome Samford to Charleston for a three-game SoCon series beginning on Friday, April 6.

For more information on The Citadel baseball team, please follow @CitadelBaseball and @CitadelSports on Twitter or visit CitadelSports.com.