The Citadel Salvages Weekend Split with Charlotte
Adam Floyd collected his first RBI of the year against the Bulldogs. |
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Feb. 13, 2005
Charlotte, N.C. - Matt Matulia hit a two-out double through the right side and scored on a single by Trent Weathers in the top of the 11th inning, giving The Citadel a 4-3 win over the Charlotte 49ers in the second game of a weekend series on Sunday at Tom & Lib Phillips Field. The Niners were 9-4 victors over the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
Sunday's matchup featured some late-game drama. The 49ers (1-1) scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game, 3-3, when Mike Ambrose drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs.
The Citadel (1-1) nearly scored in the top of the eighth. Chris Swauger singled to center field before Matt Covington walked, and both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Zach Brown. Will Coker then flied out to center field, and a tagging Swauger was called out on a close play at the plate on a good throw from Niner centerfielder Adam Willard to freshman catcher Chris Taylor, ending the threat.
In the bottom of the ninth, with the score still deadlocked at three apiece, Adam Floyd and O'Brien Taylor each hit one-out singles, and ended up on second and third on the throw from the outfield. The Citadel intentionally walked Cory Lane to load the bases. The strategy worked, as Ambrose hit into a fielder's choice to third base and the runner was out at home. With two outs, Spencer Steedley popped up to send the game into extra innings.
In the Citadel 11th, Matulia hit the ball hard through the right side of the infield and legged out a double. Weathers then dropped the ball into right field, just out of the retreating second baseman's reach, and Matulia scored what would become the winning run from second base.
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The late-inning action overshadowed a good first outing by Niners starter Derek McDaid. The junior college transfer from Barrie, Ontario, pitched six innings, allowing three runs and striking out five. Erik Walker picked up the loss, despite pitching 4.2 innings in relief. He allowed just one run on four hits, striking out three.
The Niners first two runs came in the bottom of the second, when freshman Garrett Hanselman's sacrifice fly to right scored Kris Rochelle, who had walked. Floyd then hit an RBI groundout to shortstop, scoring Willard from third.
Charlotte travels to nearby Rock Hill, S.C. for a matchup with nationally-ranked Winthrop on Tuesday, February 15. First pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.
