Bulldogs Host Winthrop in Midweek Clash

RHP TJ Clarkson (Coral Springs, Fla.)

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Winthrop (3-15)	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	7	3
The Citadel (8-8)	0	1	4	0	1	3	0	0	X	9	13	0
@ Charleston, S.C. | Joseph P. Riley Park

Pitching
Win: James Reeves (4-1) - The Citadel
Loss: KNOX, Mitchell (0-4) - Winthrop

Winthrop Batting
2B: HOPPER, Justin; SMITH, Chad
3B: none
HR: none

The Citadel Batting
2B: Justin Mackert 2
3B: Joe Jackson
HR: none

full stats

Final	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Winthrop (3-15)	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	7	3
The Citadel (8-8)	0	1	4	0	1	3	0	0	X	9	13	0
@ Charleston, S.C. | Joseph P. Riley Park

Pitching
Win: James Reeves (4-1) - The Citadel
Loss: KNOX, Mitchell (0-4) - Winthrop

Winthrop Batting
2B: HOPPER, Justin; SMITH, Chad
3B: none
HR: none

The Citadel Batting
2B: Justin Mackert 2
3B: Joe Jackson
HR: none

full stats

WINTHROP GAME NOTES

PITCHING PROBABLES
THE CITADEL
RHP #23 - TJ Clarkson
W-L        ERA        IP            H             R             ER           BB           K             SV
0-1          7.94        11.1        17           11           10           4              5              2 

WINTHROP
LHP #17 - Mitchell Knox
W-L        ERA        IP            H             R             ER           BB           K             SV
0-3          18.00     9.0          19           19           18           8              6              0 

LAST TIME OUT...
The Citadel won the first game of the weekend series against SoCon rival Western Carolina by a 4-2 score, but the Bulldogs dropped the final two games, 11-4 and 6-5, to fall to 7-8 overall and 1-2 in the SoCon. 

DOGS HOST WINTHROP IN MIDWEEK CLASH
The Citadel will host Winthrop University Wednesday evening at Riley Park in non-conference action. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m. in the first of two games between the two clubs this season. The Bulldogs will travel to Rock Hill to face the Eagles on April 17. 

LAST TIME OUT
Western Carolina scored two runs in the eighth inning to rally past The Citadel for a 6-5 victory Sunday afternoon in Southern Conference action at Riley Park, taking the weekend series two game to one. Trailing 5-4, Western Carolina (12-4, 2-1 SoCon) put the first two batters on base and a RBI single by Jacob Hoyle knotted the game at 5-5. Bryant Noteboom followed with another RBI single to plate Ross Heffley with the eventual winning run. 

SCOUTING WINTHROP
Winthrop recorded a season-high 14 hits on Monday evening as it picked up an 8-6 win over Valparaiso at The Winthrop Ballpark to improve to 3-14 on the season. The Eagles offense is led by Justin Hopper with a .278 average at the plate, and is one of three players along with Patrick Gamblin and TJ Olesczuk with at least one home run on the season. Matt Lobacz posts a team-best 14 RBI. Tyler Klitsch leads all pitchers with a 2.42 ERA. 

ORVIN CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior Nick Orvin is steadily making his mark on the Bulldogs' record book in his final season. The Moncks Corner, S.C. native is posed to overtake the top spot in the career runs and hits charts this season. 

CAREER RUNS
1.            Philip Hartig        229         1998-01
2.            Terrence Smalls  222         1995-98
3.            Chris Swauger   211         2005-08
4.            Bryan Altman     208         2007-10
5.            Sonny Meade    199         2006-09
6.            David Beckley    198         1993-96
7.            Nick Orvin           193         2009-Current
8.            Bo Betchman     189         1994-97
9.            Jon Aughey        185         2002-05
10.          Anthony Jenkins 179         1989-92 

CAREER HITS
1.            Philip Hartig        360         1998-01
2.            Sonny Meade    355         2006-09
3.            Chris Swauger   314         2006-09
4.            Bryan Altman     310         2007-10
5.            Chris Ard              296         2002-05
6.            Terrence Smalls   295         1995-98
7.            Bo Betchman     291         1994-97
8.            Nick Orvin           268         2009-Current
9.            Jon Aughey        266         2002-05
10.          Matt Matulia      258         2003-06 

SPORTS RADIO 1450 TO BROADCAST 21 BULLDOG BASEBALL GAMES IN 2012
Citadel baseball fans will be able to follow the Bulldogs this season on Sports Radio 1450 with the "Voice of the Bulldogs," Danny Reed. The Bulldogs sport one of the region's toughest schedules with games against South Carolina, Coastal Carolina and an always-competitive Southern Conference slate. 

Sports Radio 1450 will broadcast the majority of games from the second half of the Bulldogs' schedule, including home games against South Carolina and Coastal Carolina, home series with Wofford, UNC Greensboro, Georgia Southern and Furman, and road games at South Carolina and the College of Charleston.

All season long, fans can watch home games online through Bulldog Insider with subscription broadcasts on CitadelSports.com.

Below are the remaining games that will air on Sports Radio 1450.
Tuesday, March 27, 7 p.m. vs. South Carolina
Friday, March 30, 6 p.m. vs. Wofford
Saturday, March 31, 2 p.m. vs. Wofford
Sunday, April 1, 1 p.m. vs. Wofford
Tuesday, April 3, 6 p.m. vs. Coastal Carolina
Tuesday, April 10, 7 p.m. at South Carolina
Friday, April 13, 6 p.m. vs. UNC Greensboro
Saturday, April 14, 2 p.m. vs. UNC Greensboro
Sunday, April 15, 1 p.m. vs. UNC Greensboro
Friday, April 20, 6 p.m. at College of Charleston
Saturday, April 21, 3 p.m. at College of Charleston
Sunday, April 22, 1 p.m. at College of Charleston
Friday, April 27, 6 p.m. vs. Georgia Southern
Saturday, April 28, 2 p.m. vs. Georgia Southern
Sunday, April 29, 1 p.m. vs. Georgia Southern
Friday, May 11, 6 p.m. vs. Furman
Saturday, May 12, 2 p.m. vs. Furman
Sunday, May 13, 1 p.m. vs. Furman
2012 Southern Conference Tournament starting May 23 

THE 700 CLUB
Head coach Fred Jordan is just seven victories away from becoming the 36th active member of the 700-club of NCAA Division I baseball head coaches that have recorded 700 career victories. Jordan had 686 victories entering this, his 21st, season of Citadel baseball. 

TWO SELECTED PRESEASON ALL-SOCON; BULLDOGS PICKED TO FINISH EIGHTH BY MEDIA AND COACHES
Sophomore infielder Drew DeKerlegand was selected to the Southern Conference preseason all-conference first team and senior outfielder Nick Orvin was chosen to the all-conference second team, as voted on by the league's 11 head coaches. 

Last season, DeKerlegand was selected to the SoCon All-Freshman Team after starting all 56 games in 2011 at third base for the Bulldogs and finishing with an average of .317 with 32 runs, 66 hits, 11 doubles, four triples, two homers and 24 RBI to go with 15 walks. The freshman was second on the team in triples, on base percentage and total bases and reached base in the final 16 contests of the season.

Orvin earned first team all-conference in 2011 after being named to the second team in 2010 and to the all-freshman team in 2009. He entered the career top-10 at The Citadel in runs scored last season and sits just three base knocks away from entering the career top-10 in hits. Last season, Orvin batted .320 with 74 hits, 47 runs, 14 doubles, nine home runs, 32 RBI, 23 walks and 19 stolen bases. He led the squad in hits, runs, homers, total bases, slugging percentage, walks and stolen bases in 2011. The center fielder reached base in the final 23 games of the season.

Georgia Southern swept the top preseason awards, with junior outfielder Victor Roache named SoCon Preseason Player of the Year and junior right-hander Chris Beck as Preseason Pitcher of the Year.

The Citadel was picked to finish eighth in both the coaches' and media preseason polls. The SoCon baseball coaches have selected College of Charleston as the preseason favorite to win the league championship in 2012, while the media representatives who cover the league have chosen Georgia Southern as the conference favorite. The Cougars received six of the 11 possible first-place votes and 93 points in the coaches' balloting, narrowly edging Georgia Southern by a single point. The Eagles were the clear preseason favorite of the league's media, earning 20 of 25 first-place votes and 269 points overall.

A FRESH LOOK
With 18 newcomers this season, The Citadel will feature a new look in several areas this season. The entire middle of the infield will be experiencing their first playing time in college as freshmen Bailey Rush and Johnathan Stokes will battle for the starting spot at short and Mason Davis has grabbed the spot at second. Two freshmen are likely to see significant time in starting pitching roles as Kevin Connell and James Reeves toe the rubber. With the loss of a handful of members of the last season's bullpen, several first-year players are expected to contribute in that area as well. 

HOME SWEET HOME
The Citadel will play their first 16 games in the friendly confines of Riley Park to start the 2012 season. The Bulldogs don't leave Charleston until March 16 when they travel to Appalachian State. In addition, two of their first three SoCon series of the year will take place at home. 

UP NEXT...
The Citadel returns to SoCon action this weekend as the Bulldogs hit the road for the first time in the 2012 season, travelling to Boone, N.C. to face Appalachian State in a three-game series.

For more information on Bulldog baseball, follow us on Twitter at @CitadelBaseball or visit www.CitadelSports.com.

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