Live5News.com | Charleston, SC | News, Weather, SportsThe Citadel gives away lead late in 6-5 loss to Coastal Carolina

The Citadel gives away lead late in 6-5 loss to Coastal Carolina

Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel Baseball team rallied to take a lead late on Wednesday evening, but could not hold it as No. 29 Coastal Carolina rallied for a 6-5 win at Riley Park in front of 1,110 fans.

Half of the games played this season by The Citadel (8-12) have now been decided by one run, including the last four games. The Bulldogs have gone 2-8 in games decided by just one run and have now lost seven of their last eight games by a combined eight runs.

The Chanticleers got on the board in the top of the first on a solo homer to right by Tommy LaStella off Citadel starter Bryce Hines (Hanahan, S.C.) who went 3.0 innings, allowing three hits, four runs, three walks and four strikeouts. The Bulldogs responded immediately off CCU starter Matt Rein as Drew DeKerlegand (Pearland, Texas) reached on an infield single and scored when Matt Simonelli (Orlando, Fla.) ripped a triple into the right field corner. Justin Mackert (Cleveland, Ohio) then brought home Simonelli on a sac fly to center for a 2-1 lead.

Coastal Carolina would retake the lead in the top of the third when John Fidanza walked, stole second base and score on an RBI single by Hayes Orton. After a walk to LaStella, both runners advanced on a balk by Hines and a double to left field by Taylor Motter would bring both runner home as CCU took the 4-2 lead.

Nick Orvin (Moncks Corner, S.C.) picked up his 200th career hit in the bottom of the sixth when he hit his second homer of the season and 11th of his career to left field to narrow the gap to 4-3. Another infield single by DeKerlegand would chase Rein from the game, as he went 5.0 innings, allowing four hits, four runs, a walk and three strikeouts.

A walk by Simonelli off reliever Aaron Burke and a sacrifice bunt by Mackert put two runners in scoring position with one out. After a strikeout by new reliever Jordan Coons, William Ladd (Winnsboro, S.C.) dumped a single into right field and was tagged out trying to make his way to second, but not before DeKerlegand and Simonelli both scored to give the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead.

The Citadel bullpen proved to be extremely solid in the middle innings as junior Jeremy Long (Clover, S.C.) fired a career-high 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, two walks and struck out two. Logan Cribb (Rock Hill, S.C.) followed by also setting a new career high with 2.0 scoreless innings, allowing a hit and striking out two.

In the top of the ninth, closer Drew Mahaffey (Summerville, S.C.) entered the game and got a quick strikeout, but a single from pinch hitter Tripp Martin and a walk to leadoff man Scott Woodward would prove costly. Orton lined a ball into left center in what appeared to be a double in the gap, before Ladd made an excellent play to snag the liner for the second out. LaStella then hit the first pitch he saw from Mahaffey over the head of Orvin in center to score both runners for the Chanticleers and give them a 6-5 lead.

Pinch runner Josh Conway entered the game to earn his first save of the season in the bottom of the ninth and hand the Bulldogs yet another one-run loss this season. Keith Hessler picked up the win, going 1.0 inning and allowing one hit. Mahaffey (0-4) picked up the loss, giving up three hits, two runs, a walk and strikeout in 0.2 innings of work.

LaStella went 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, a homer and two walks to power CCU's offense, while Motter went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI. Orvin led The Citadel, going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI while DeKerlegand went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

The Bulldogs will now begin a stretch where 13 of their next 18 games are on the road, starting Friday in Spartanburg for a three-game conference series with Wofford. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Russell C. King Field.

Courtesy:  The Citadel Sports Information