CHARLESTON, S.C. – Matt Simonelli went 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run scored as The Citadel took the rubber game over Georgia Southern Sunday afternoon, 8-4, in front of 872 at Riley Park.

Simonelli sandwiched two sacrifice flies in between a pair of singles to left field as he drove in the first two Bulldog runs in the game. His leadoff single in the eighth inning led to him scoring a run in The Citadel’s three-run inning late in the game to seal the victory.

Matt Crim (4-4) allowed two runs on five hits as he walked two and struck out five in collecting his fourth win of the season. Drew Mahaffey (6) did not allow any hits or runs and walked one while striking out two in collecting his sixth save of the year.

Matt Murray (3-3) was charged the loss after allowing four runs on four hits while walking four and striking out two in 5.1 innings on the mound.

Simonelli’s sacrifice fly to center field in the fourth inning scored Sonny Meade from third as the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning in a game that started out as a pitcher’s duel. Through five and a half innings of play, the two teams had combined for one run scored and eight hits while the two starting pitchers had tallied seven strkeouts.

The Citadel broke the game open in the sixth inning, scoring four runs on two hits. Meade, Richard Jones and Chris McGuiness drew back-to-back-to-back one out walks to load the bases before the Eagles pulled Murray from the game and put Kyle Kamppi on the mound. Simonelli then drove in Meade on his second sacrifice fly of the game, this one to right field.

Sid Fallaw followed with a single up the middle, sending Jones across the plate and McGuiness to second. Kyle Jordan then hit a sharp single to second base, scoring McGuiness. GSU second baseman Kevin Bowles threw the ball hope in an attempt to throw out McGuiness, but committed his third error of the series as his throw went wild, allowing Fallaw to score and Jordan to take second.

Georgia Southern responded in the top of the seventh, scoring four runs of their own as the Eagles pulled within one at 5-4. Will Southwell led off the inning with a single up the middle and went to second as Randy Williams drew a walk. The bases then became loaded as Brian Pierce singled through the right side. A sacrifice fly by Jonathan King would score Southwell before a fielder’s choice by Ty Wright would put runners on the corners as Pierce was put out at second.

Drawing a walk, Bowles would load the bases and Griffin Benedict would drive in two runs with a single up the middle, scoring the third and fourth runs of the inning. A fielder’s choice by Eric Phillips put Benedict out at second as the Bulldogs ended Georgia Southern’s rally.

In the bottom of the eighth, The Citadel added a trio of insurance runs in the eighth with Simonelli leading off the inning with a single and then reaching second on a sacrifice bunt by Fallaw. Simonelli would reach third on a wild pitch before Kyle Jordan ripped a triple off the right field wall, scoring Simonelli. Dangerfield would send Jordan across the plate with an RBI single to right before getting put out at second on a Nick Orvin fielder’s choice to the mound. Orvin stole second and then crossed the plate on a run-scoring single up the middle by Bryan Altman. Altman would be thrown out attempting to steal second to end the inning.

Mahaffey shut down the Eagles in the eighth and ninth, allowing only one runner to reach base – a walk issued to King in the ninth.

The Citadel returns to action on Friday, May 1 when the Bulldogs host Southern Conference newcomer Samford in a three-game SoCon series at Riley Park. For complete coverage of Bulldog Baseball, please visit the official home of The Citadel Athletics at CitadelSports.com.