BOX SCORE

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel broke through with seven first-inning runs and never looked back in a 15-4 win over Radford in the finale of the Charleston Crab House Shootout at Joe Riley Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (5-1) launched three two-run homers in the first inning, and Brad Felder led The Citadel's offensive onslaught, finishing the day with a pair of two-run blasts.  Matt Simonelli capped a five-run sixth with a grand slam to straight away center field, pushing the Bulldogs out to a 12-3 lead.

Simonelli and William Ladd, who hit a two-out homer in the first, collected four hits each for The Citadel.

“Obviously, we didn't get a very good start today, and it's tough to win a baseball game when you have to replace your pitcher in the first inning,” head coach Joe Raccuia said.  “They jumped on us early, we made a little bit of a push to get back in it in the fourth and fifth innings, but you can only hold them at bay for so long.”

Radford (1-5) cut into the seven run lead with a pair in the fourth, on Carl Travers' (Huntingtown, Md./Riverdale Baptist) two-out, two-run double, and a run in the fifth on Brett Mollenhauer's (Roanoke, Va./Hidden Valley) RBI single.

Mollenhauer went 2-for-4 and Matt Hillsinger (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) was 3-for-3, scoring on Mollenhauer's single in the fifth.

Michael Clevinger went five innings in his start to earn the win (1-1), striking out seven Radford hitters while allowing three runs on six hits.

Shane Pysh (Wheeling, W.Va./John Marshall) didn't escape the first inning, dropping his second decision of the year.

Radford committed four errors in the loss.

“Four errors are not going to cut it on our part,” Raccuia said.  “We didn't play a very good baseball game, The Citadel executed well in all facets, and we'll just have go back to work this week.”

The Highlanders head to Virginia Tech for a 3 p.m. meeting with the Hokies on Tuesday afternoon.