CHARLESTON, SC. – The Citadel scored three runs in the first inning and got strong pitching throughout to defeat Yale, 4-3, in the series opener Friday afternoon at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
Game Information
Score: The Citadel 4, Yale 3
Records: The Citadel (4-0), Yale (0-1)
Series: The Citadel leads 1-0
Location: Charleston, South Carolina (Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park)
Key Plays
- A fielding error in the bottom of the seventh inning turned a routine single into a two-base error and a runner on third with one out.
- Noah Mitchell followed with a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to center field for what turned out to be the game-winning RBI.
How it Happened
- Jeffery Brown got things going for The Citadel in the first inning as he drew a four-pitch walk to start the frame.
- Tyler Corbitt ripped the next pitch up the middle for a base hit and Ryan McCarthy followed with a RBI double to right center.
- Two batters later, Cole Simpson dumped a ball just inside the left-field line to drive in two runs to make it a 3-0 game in the first.
- Yale got on the board in the fourth inning after a pair of hits put runners on second and third with no outs. A groundout by Teddy Hague scored the runner from third.
- Shane Connolly would limit the damage to just one run as he would get two strikeouts in the inning to strand the runner at third.
- The game would remain 3-1 until the seventh inning when Ches Goodman lined an 0-2 pitch into right field for a base hit. When the ball was misplayed, Goodman hustled his way into third.
- Noah Mitchell followed by delivering a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to center field.
- Things would get interesting in the ninth as Yale put two runners with two outs. A fly ball into shallow left center got caught up in the wind and turned into a two-run double.
- Gant Starling would make sure the game ended with The Citadel on top as he struck out the next hitter to earn his first career save.
Inside the Box Score
- The victory improved The Citadel to 4-0 on the season. It is the best start since the 1978 team opened the season with 17-straight wins.
- Shane Connolly (2-0) earned his second win in as many starts as he allowed just one run on four hits over 6.0 innings. He struck out eight, matching his career-high set last week against Coppin State.
- Devin Beckley did not allow a hit in his two innings of work. He struck out five and now has 11 strikeouts in 4.0 innings this season.
- Gant Starling (1) struck out two in the ninth to earn his first career save.
- The pitching staff struck out 15 hitters, including at least one in eight of the nine innings.
- The Bulldogs had six different players collect a hit. Each of the top four hitters in the lineup scored a run.
- Jeffery Brown drew a pair of walks and scored a run.
On Deck
The two teams will play the middle game of the three-game series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.