March 8, 2003

Final Stats

Cullowhee, N.C. - Josh Ellis did not allow a hit over his final four innings as the sophomore right-hander pitched a complete-game in leading The Citadel to a 7-3 victory over Western Carolina Saturday afternoon at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.

The Citadel improves to 6-6 overall and 1-1 in the Southern Conference and gives its head coach Fred Jordan his 400th career victory. Western Carolina, who had won eight straight, drops its first home contest in 10 games this season and falls to 9-6, 1-1.

The Catamounts jumped out to a 1-0 lead in he first inning. Shortstop Wayne Kilmer got a one-out, infield single, moved to third on an Alan Beck single and scored on Todd Buchanan's sacrifice fly to center.

Both teams were held scoreless over the next two innings until The Citadel put three runs on the board in the top of the fourth. Matt Matulia broke up Brad Josey's no-hitter with a leadoff single. Josey would load the bases after hitting Jason Randall with a pitch and walking Chip Cannon. Matulia scored when Mark Egleton hit into a double play, moving Randall to third. Trent Weathers followed with an infield single, plating Randall. Weathers then stole second and third and made the score 3-1 on a Chris Ard single.

The Catamounts tied the game at 3-3 with two runs in the fifth. Western got back-to-back singles by Todd Roper and Kilmer, who each stole a base to put runners at second and third. Beck reached on a fielding error, allowing Roper and Kilmer to score. Buchanan followed with a single, but that would mark the last time a Catamount would reach base over the final 4.2 innings.

The Citadel exploded for three runs in the top of the seventh. The Bulldogs got a leadoff walk by Weathers and took advantage of a single by Ard and a WCU error to score what proved to the game winner. Jon Aughey gave his team a two-run lead on a sacrifice fly. Matulia capped with inning with an RBI single.

The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Aughey singled, stole second and scored on a Matulia single up the middle.

Ellis, who got a double play to end the fifth, retired his last 14 batters to improve to 2-1 on the year. He allowed six hits, three runs and three walks with three strikeouts. Matulia and Ard led the way for the Bulldogs offensively, collecting three hits each.

For the Catamounts, Ryan Basner (0-1) suffered the loss as he allowed two hits, three runs (one earned) and a walk in two-thirds of an inning pitched. Josey lasted six innings, with three hits, three runs, two walks and three strikeouts. Roper and Kilmer, Western's leadoff and second hitters, accounted for four of the team's six hits.

Western Carolina and The Citadel will play the rubber match of the three-game series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1:00 pm at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium.