'Cats Outlast The Citadel, 9-7; Play Samford Thursday

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CHARLESTON, S.C. – No. 2 seed Davidson earned its program-record 29th win of the season, defeating 10th-seeded The Citadel, 9-7, to advance in the 2014 Southern Conference Baseball Tournament Wednesday evening in Riley Park.

Davidson (29-17) will next play No. 3 Samford, which defeated No. 6 Wofford Wednesday night, Thursday at 8 p.m.

Dating back to last season, it was Davidson's sixth-straight win over The Citadel (24-33), but it was also Davidson's first win in the SoCon tournament since 2004, and its first ever in the tournament over the Bulldogs, which had previously gone 7-0 against the Wildcats.

Leftfielder Lee Miller (1-for-4, 2 RBIs), who homered for the seventh time in his last 11 games, and shortstop Sam Foy (1-for-3, 3 RBIs) combined for five RBIs to lead the 'Cats' offense, while first baseman David Daniels (2-for-5, 2B) and centerfielder Forrest Brandt (2-for-4, BB) had the lone multi-hit games for Davidson.

RHP Danny Mooney (6-3) pitched seven-plus innings to earn the win, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts, while RHP Michael Goldberg (8) twice faced the go-ahead run, earning the save in 1.1 innings of work.

Davidson led from the bottom of the first inning on, and by as much as six after the fifth, but committed five errors, allowing The Citadel to close the gap late.

After allowing an unearned run in the top of the first inning, Davidson roared back with four runs, including two unearned. Batting second in the lineup with one out, Miller slugged a home run over the right field fence to start the scoring. A single by designated hitter Ryan Lowe (1-for-3, BB) and a pair of walks by Brandt and right fielder Nathan Becker (0-for-2, BB) loaded the bases, and then Foy drove in Lowe with a sacrifice fly to left field for the second run of the inning. A throwing error allowed Brandt to score, and then Becker stole home on a double-steal play for a 4-1 advantage.

Davidson extended the lead to six with a three-run fifth inning. Foy singled to right-center to drive in two runs, and catcher Daniel Gerow (1-for-4) later added an RBI-single.

The Citadel fought back in the bottom half of the inning though. The first three batters reached, and then with one out, third baseman Bret Hines (3-for-5) hit into a fielder's choice to drive in one run. An error and a wild pitch allowed two more runs to score before Mooney got a groundout to end the inning.

An error and a sacrifice fly by Miller in the bottom of the sixth quickly gave Davidson a five-run cushion again, but The Citadel was able to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in the eighth.

The first two batters of the frame reached, and left fielder Drew DeKerlegand (1-for-4) stole third and home during a meeting on the mound between Mooney and Gerow, as the Wildcats did not realize time had not been granted. RHP Durin O'Linger relieved Mooney, and with two outs, second baseman Mason Davis singled to drive in another run. Another single loaded the bases before SoCon Coach of the Year Dick Cooke turned to Goldberg, who was able to induce a foul-pop out to get out of the jam.

After retiring the first two batters of the ninth, the Wildcats committed two errors, allowing the go-ahead run to come to the plate again. However, Goldberg was able to get a strikeout though to end the game.

RHP Austin Mason (1-5) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs (four earned) on five hits and five walks with five strikeouts. Hines and Mason had the lone RBIs for the Bulldogs, and Hines' three hits led three others with multi-hit games, as they totaled 12 to Davidson's nine.

If Davidson wins Thursday, it will not play again until Saturday at 1 p.m. However, if the 'Cats do not win Thursday, they will next play Friday at 6:30 p.m.

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