With 7-6, 10-Inning Win, Davidson Takes First SoCon Road Series Victory over Citadel Since 1996

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Senior RHP Mike Frongello tossed a career-high 6 2/3 innings and freshman right fielder Kelly Myers hit a pair of two-out home runs to lead the Davidson Wildcats to their first SoCon road series victory over The Citadel Bulldogs since 1996 with a 7-6, 10-inning win at Riley Park Sunday.

In the third-straight, one-run game of the series, Davidson (9-10, 4-4 SoCon) survived a four-run fourth inning by The Citadel (8-11, 4-5 SoCon) and tied the game in the top of the ninth before Myers' second home run of the day proved the game winner. Frongello (W, 3-1) was masterful in relief, working in and out of jams and scattering five hits for a lone run over the final 6 2/3, and Davidson's 2-5 hole hitters went a combined 11-for-19 and drove in five runs to lead the Wildcats to their first series victory over the Bulldogs since 2005 and first ever at The Joe.

Davidson finished with 13 hits, led by freshman left fielder Forrest Brandt (2-for-4), junior first baseman Drew Gadaire (4-for-5, RBI), senior designated hitter Danny Weiss (2-for-5, 2 RBI) and sophomore third baseman Andrew Barna (3-for-5, 2 RBI). Myers batted 2-for-4 with a pair of two-out home runs - the first gave Davidson a 1-0 lead in the second and the second proved the game winner in the top of the 10th.

Davidson got a pair of back-to-back hits in the top of the first, but Citadel starter Justin Russell — who allowed five runs on nine hits and struck out eight in 4 1/3, kept the 'Cats off the scoreboard. Senior RHP Andy Bass faced just three and struck out a pair in the bottom of the inning, and Myers went yard with two down in the top of the second for the first run.

The Citadel knotted the game up in the bottom half on a William Ladd sacrifice fly that scored Justin Mackert, who led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout. But the Wildcats retook the lead in the top of third, stringing together three hits for a run. Brandt (double) and Gadaire (single) got two straight hits, before Barna put the 'Cats back ahead, 2-1.

But the Bulldogs batted around and opened up a 5-2 lead with four runs on three hits and three walks in the fourth. Matt Simonelli led off with a base hit and took second on a wild pitch before Mackert walked. A second wild pitch scored Simonelli, and RHP Brian Russell took over after another walk. Ladd drove in his third run of the day with an RBI-single, moved to second on a groundout and took two straight bases on wild pitches for another score. Joe Jones' RBI-single drove in a fourth run, and after the Bulldogs' took their third walk of the inning, brought on Frongello, who got back-to-back groundballs to end the scoring.

The Wildcats answered in the top of the fifth and tied the game for a second time on doubles from Weiss and Barna. Brandt took a one-out walk and moved to second on Gadaire's second hit of the day, and both scored as Weiss doubled into center field. Barna doubled in Weiss to chase Russell in favor of Citadel reliever T.J. Clarkson, who retired two to keep the game tied, 5-5.

Frongello faced just three in the bottom of the fifth, but got into a jam in the sixth after giving up a one-out single and walk. A groundout by Pless moved runners to second and third with two outs, but Frongello got a second straight ground out to escape trouble.

Barna got his third hit in the top of the seventh but it came on two outs and went for no runs, and Drew DeKerlegand slapped a leadoff single in the bottom half for The Citadel. Frongello got a pop up for the next out, though, and the Wildcats turned a double play on Mackert to keep the score tied at five.

After Logan Cribb faced the minimum in the top of the eighth, The Citadel got the go-ahead run in the bottom half on a two-out infield single by Pless to score Ladd, who hit a one-out single, stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Frongello left pair on base, though, with a fly out, continuing to strand Bulldogs in the one-run game.

With Drew Mahaffey on in relief for a third straight day, pinch hitter #J.P. Craven# took a free pass to start the top of the ninth. Mahaffey recovered to get two outs, but pinch runner Coleman Barron got into scoring position on a wild pitch. Gadaire singled to center field to score Barron, the Wildcats' third two-out run, to tie the game and force the Bulldogs into the bottom of the ninth. After Weiss got a second straight hit, Citadel reliever Bryce Hines (L, 1-2) got a strikeout to strand two and keep the game tied.

Frongello had no trouble with the Bulldogs in the bottom of the ninth, retiring three straight, and Myers hit another two-out, solo home run in the top of the 10th to give Davidson the 7-6 lead. Frongello ran back out for the bottom of the 10th and got two outs before giving up an infield single to Brad Felder, putting the tying run on. But he got Jones to ground out for the final out to give Davidson its first ever series win over The Citadel at Riley Park, first in Charleston since 1996 and first overall since 2005.

Davidson kicks off a five-game home stand against N.C. A&T on Tuesday at 6 p.m. followed by a weekend series against Western Carolina (8-9, 0-6 SoCon) and a midweek game with N.C. Central March 29.

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