May 27, 2010

click here for complete list of scores

CBI Live: SoCon Game 5: #7 ASU 6, #3 GSU 2

CBI Live: SoCon Game 6: #5 Samford 13, #8 Furman 10

CBI Live: SoCon Game 8: #6 WCU 7, #2 CofC 6 (12)

CBI Live
The Citadel fights past Elon in 10

By Phil Stanton

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

CHARLESTON, S.C. – What started as baseball turned into Thursday Night at the Fights.

Top-seeded The Citadel scored twice in the ninth, with the second run causing a benches-clearing fight, and added three in the 10th in a 6-3 victory over fourth-seeded Elon Thursday on the second day of the Southern Conference Tournament at Jospeh P. Riley, Jr. Park.

The Bulldogs (40-20) will have an off-day on Friday before needing one win on Saturday to advance to Sunday’s championship game. The Phoenix (37-21) will face fifth-seeded Samford on Friday at 7 p.m. in an elimination game. The winner will have to beat The Citadel twice on Saturday to reach Sunday’s title contest.

Elon owned a 2-1 lead after eight. Matt Simonelli drew a leadoff walk in the top of the ninth for the Bulldogs and was sacrificed to second. Justin Mackert singled to right to bring home Simonelli with the tying run and promptly stole second. Following a strikeout, David Greene was awarded first on catcher’s interference. Grant Richards singled to left, bringing Mackert around third and toward home. He collided with catcher Mike Melillo, who did not hold onto the ball. His run counted and Richards was thrown out at second to end the frame.

The Citadel players came out of the first-base dugout to celebrate Mackert’s run. A fight ensued, as the Elon players poured out of the third-base dugout. Bulldog head coach Fred Jordan suffered a separated left shoulder. Melillo was forced to leave the game with swelling in his left thumb. Mackert was ejected for malicious contact, but his ejection was rescinded following the game. Elon third baseman Scott Riddle, the starting quarterback on the Phoenix football team, was ejected for fighting.

Following a lengthy delay, Elon came to bat in the bottom of the ninth trailing 3-2. Ryan Adams coaxed a leadoff walk and was replaced by pinch-runner David Wood, who was sacrificed to second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Ben Scott singled to right to bring in Wood with the tying run. Scott moved to second on a fielder’s choice, but was stranded there.

William Ladd had a leadoff single in the top of the 10th for the Bulldogs. Nick Orvin followed with a walk and, one out later, Simonelli drew a base on balls to load the bases. Bryan Altman had a fielder’s choice to bring home Ladd with the go-ahead run. Orvin scored on an error and Simonelli came in on a sacrifice fly by Matt Reifenider to give The Citadel a 6-3 lead.

Elon drew a two-out walk, but could not score as the Bulldogs claimed the victory.

The Bulldogs put together a two-out rally in the top of the first as Simonelli singled, stole second, stole third and scored on a base hit by Mackert to give The Citadel the early lead.

Elon tied it in the third as Harry Austin had a leadoff single and scored on a two-out triple by Neal Pritchard, his first career three-bagger.

Riddle belted a leadoff homer in the bottom of the fourth to give the Phoenix a 2-1 advantage.

Mackert finished with two hits, three walks and two RBI, while Simonelli scored three.

Scott and Harry Austin both had two hits for Elon.

Following the game, Southern Conference officials and the umpiring crew reviewed video of the fight. Mackert’s ejection was rescinded and will not be suspended.

Two players from each school will be suspended three games according to NCAA regulations. The suspensions go into effect immediately and could include potential NCAA Tournament games.

From Elon, Riddle and pitcher Jared Kernodle were suspended. Riddle is a junior third baseman who has appeared in 53 games with 40 starts. He is batting .317 with six homers and 31 RBI. Kernodle is a junior right-hander who has a 6-3 record with a 5.71 ERA. He had appeared in 17 games with 11 starts.

From The Citadel, Ben Carr and Nick Sprowls were suspended. Carr is a freshman catcher who has not appeared in a game this season. Sprowls is a senior left-hander who is 0-1 with a 12.66 ERA in 11 appearances.

(photos courtesy of Southern Conference Media Relations Office)