The Citadel earns series win over VMI with 9-4 win on Saturday

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Saturday was a memorable day for The Citadel’s senior class as they followed up their graduation ceremony in the morning with a 9-4 victory over VMI in the afternoon inside Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

Game Information

Score: The Citadel 9, VMI 4

Records: VMI (23-24, 7-9), The Citadel (21-22, 6-8)

Location: Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park (Charleston, South Carolina)

Series: The Citadel leads 2-0

How it Happened

The Bulldogs got things going with one out in the second inning as Wells Sykes singled through the left side and scored on a Travis Elliott double to left center. Crosby Jones followed with a single to left to score Elliott.
The Citadel struck again with two outs in the third inning as Noah Mitchell doubled off the base of the wall in center field, then scored on a Sykes base hit through the left side.
VMI got a run back in the fourth as they got a bases-loaded walk with one out. Sam Swygert was able to minimize the damage to just one run as he struck out the next two hitters.
The Bulldogs got the run back in the home-half of the inning as Dylan Costa singled up the middle and stole second. Sawyer Reeves followed with a RBI triple into the gap in right center.
VMI pulled within a run in the fifth inning on a two-run double to right from Cole Jenkins.
The Citadel again had an answer in the home-half of the inning as Travis Lott singled to left center and hustled around to score on a Noah Mitchell triple into the right-field corner.
Elliott drove in Mitchell with a base hit up the middle before hustling home from second on an infield single off the bat of Costa.
The Keydets pushed across one run in the sixth inning on a two-our RBI single up the middle from Jed Barrett.
Thomas Rollauer started the bottom of the sixth with a base hit before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Mitchell singled up the middle to drive in Rollauer. Badala added a run with a two-out single into the hole at short.

Inside the Box Score

The Bulldogs collected a season-high 18 hits with seven players in the lineup having multi-hit games.
All nine starts collected at least one hit.
Travis Lott, Noah Mitchell, Crosby Jones and Anthony Badala combined for 10 hits and four RBIs after receiving their diplomas just hours before first pitch.
Mitchell went 3-for-5 with a double, triple, two RBIs and three runs scored.
Badala also collected three hits and drove in a run.
Jones finished with two hits for his fourth-straight multi-hit game.
Lott collected a pair of base hit and scored a run.
Lott also threw out both potential base stealers.
Travis Elliott finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.
His RBI double in the second inning marked the third-straight game he delivered a RBI double in his first at-bat.
Dylan Costa and Wells Sykes each added two hits, RBI and a run scored.
Conner Cummiskey (2-3), another graduate, came out of the bullpen and allowed just one run on four hits and four strikeouts over 4.2 innings to pick up the victory.
Sam Swygert got the start and surrendered three runs on five hits over the first 4.1 innings.
Trey Morgan (1-2) allowed five runs on 10 hits and four strikeouts over 4.0 innings in the loss.