Apr. 18, 2003

Charleston, SC - Earlier this week, Citadel baseball coaches hung a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the office door and met to discuss a topic that's also on the minds of Bulldog fans.

What's going on with the Bulldogs?

"We've been through some trials and tribulations the last 10 days," Citadel coach Fred Jordan said Thursday as he sat in the dugout and watched his team prepare for practice. "But we're working extremely hard to get back on that positive feeling."

The Citadel (20-16, 10-5) has lost six of its last seven games and opens a three-game series with Southern Conference foe East Tennessee State (10-22, 6-11) at Riley Park today.

The slump includes a three-game sweep by Davidson last weekend, the first time since 1987 that the Wildcats had taken three games from the Bulldogs, and the first time since the 2000 season that the Bulldogs had been swept in a SoCon series.

"It's been very frustrating," said senior first baseman and pitcher Chip Cannon. "But all we can do is keep working and get better at the aspects of the game we need to improve in."

The recent slide came on the heels of a stretch that saw the Bulldogs win five straight games and 13 of 15, including an emotional three-game sweep of rival College of Charleston that included a benches-clearing brawl and lots of media attention.

The Citadel beat overmatched North Carolina A&T in the next two games, but have won only one of seven since then. Three of the six losses were to Coastal Carolina and Winthrop, both having solid seasons.

"I don't think there was a letdown after College of Charleston," Cannon said. "I'm sure both teams were emotionally drained after that weekend, but I don't think it had any effect on us."

The Bulldogs have put up some very unCitadel-like numbers in the last seven games, including 15 errors (six in an 8-5 loss at Davidson) which have helped lead to 14 unearned runs. The Citadel's earned-run average over the last seven games is 6.56, well above the staff ERA of 4.35, and the Dogs have been outscored 57-32 in that stretch.

"We pride ourselves on pitching and defense," Jordan said. "And we've worked very hard the last four or five days on re-establishing that mindset in our ball club. They were very disappointed in our defensive effort the last couple of weeks."

The good news is that the recent slide has not cost the Bulldogs a lot of ground in the SoCon pennant race. Western Carolina leads at 13-5, but was swept last weekend by UNC Greensboro, which at 10-5 is tied for second along with The Citadel and College of Charleston, with Georgia Southern at 10-7.

"We're right in the middle of a pennant race, what more could you ask for?" Cannon said.

The only major change in the lineup is installing Cannon, who is batting .284 with a team-best 34 RBI, as the Sunday starter in the weekend pitching rotation, following sophomore Jon Ellis (5-3, 4.72 ERA) and freshman Ken Egleton (3-2, 2.77 ERA). Cannon is 0-2 with a 3.45 ERA in five appearances, despite not pitching for about two weeks with a strained forearm.

"Chip is throwing the ball extremely well," Jordan said. "We feel confident he is going to solidify that Sunday slot."

CITADEL BASEBALLWho: ETSU (10-22, 6-11) at The Citadel (20-16, 10-5)

When: Today at 5 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m.

Where: Riley Park