BOX SCORE (PDF)

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel baseball team overcame a three-run deficit in the seventh inning to defeat Presbyterian College 9-8 on Tuesday night at Joe Riley Park.

The Bulldogs (3-4) were led offensively by a patient approach, drawing 13 free passes in the game including a stretch of five straight walks. The total is the most in a single game for The Citadel since 2007 when they also walked 13 times against Davidson. Barrett Charpia finished with four walks, the first Bulldog hitter to do so since 2007 as well.

J.D. Davis and Bryce Leasure each walked three times and Clay Martin reach on a free pass twice, but it was the bases loaded hit by pitch that Martin drew that proved to be the deciding run. With two outs, two strikes and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth, Martin took a ball off the elbow to bring home Leasure, who scored the eventual winning run.

Before Martin's heroics, Taylor Cothran drove home the tying run on an RBI double to left field with one out. The outfielder was one of four Bulldogs to record two hits and now leads the team with a .353 batting average.

Ben Peden recorded his first triple of the season, driving in his sixth RBI of the year in the third inning. Jonathan Sabo finished 2-for-5 at the dish with a run and RBI, also posting his first save of the season on the mound. William Kinney and Peden added two hits apiece, while Davis drove in two runs and his first career stolen base.

On the mound, Alex Bialakis threw five innings with four strikeouts, allowing three runs in his first start of 2017. Jordan Buster worked a perfect seventh inning with a strikeout. Aaron Lesiak earned the victory in relief, pitching a shutout frame in the eighth against his former ball club.

As a team, the Bulldogs scored their most runs in a single game this season, doubled their highest walk total and finished with their second most hits with 10.

The Citadel next begins a three-game series on Friday with the College of Charleston. Friday's and Sunday's game will be played at Patriot's Point, while the Bulldogs will host Saturday's game at Joe Riley Park.

Scoring Summary
Top 2nd – Presbyterian 1, The Citadel 0: Nick Wise scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by T.J. Richardson with no outs.
Bottom 2nd – The Citadel 1, Presbyterian 1: Bryce Leasure scored on a sacrifice fly by J.D. Davis with one out.
Bottom 3rd – The Citadel 2, Presbyterian 1: Jonathan Sabo scored on a triple down the right field line by Ben Peden with one out.
Bottom 3rd – The Citadel 3, Presbyterian 1: Ben Peden scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Joe Sabatini with one out.
Top 4th – The Citadel 3, Presbyterian 2: Nick Wise scored on a double to right center field by Nick Guimbarda with two outs.
Bottom 4th – The Citadel 4, Presbyterian 2: J.D. Davis scored on a double to left field by Jonathan Sabo with one out.
Bottom 4th – The Citadel 5, Presbyterian 2: Clay Martin scored on a single to right field by William Kinney one out.
Top 5th – The Citadel 5, Presbyterian 3: Andrew Bladt scored on a double to center field by Cletis Avery with two outs.
Top 6th – The Citadel 5, Presbyterian 4: Nick Wise scored on a double to center field by Nick Guimbarda with one out.
Top 6th – The Citadel 5, Presbyterian 5: Nick Guimbarda scored on a double to left field by T.J. Richardson with one out.
Top 6th – Presbyterian 7, The Citadel 5: T.J. Richardson Glen Casaceli scored on an error by the right fielder with one out.
Top 6th – Presbyterian 8, The Citadel 5: Andrew Bladt scored on a single to right field by A.J. Priaulx with one out.
Bottom 7th – Presbyterian 8, The Citadel 6: Bryce Leasure scored on a bases loaded walk by J.D. Davis with one out.
Bottom 7th – Presbyterian 8, The Citadel 7: Taylor Cothran scored on a wild pitch.
Bottom 8th- The Citadel 8, Presbyterian 8: Ben Peden scored on a double to left field by Taylor Cothran with one out.
Bottom 8th – The Citadel 9, Presbyterian 8: Bryce Leasure scored on a bases loaded hit by pitch by Clay Martin with two outs.

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