Matt Crim’s Complete Game, Sonny Meade’s Home Run Keeps Bulldogs Alive

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Matt Crim threw a complete game and Sonny Meade hit a three-run home run as The Citadel   advanced   past   Appalachian   State   in   the   Southern   Conference   Tournament   Friday afternoon, topping the Moutaineers with a 5-3 win in front of 1,196 at Fluor Field at the West End.

Crim (8-4) posted his second complete game performance in as many starts, allowing two earned runs on eight hits while walking three and matching a career-high eight strikeouts. Crim, a senior who has allowed only two earned runs in his last 18.1 innings on the mound,  finishes his career against Appalachian State with a 4-0 record.

“I thought Matt Crim showed tremendous courage.  He got in a little jam there in the first when Hobson got off a great swing and they scored one there, and then he pitched extremely well. Offensively, it was a game where we had several opportunities and they pitched themselves out of that.  And of course, Sonny Meade had the big swing for us to expand the lead for us.  It was just an outstanding college baseball game.”

Meade’s home run in the third inning – his fifth of the season – put The Citadel up 4-1 while Crim was in a stretch of retiring nine consecutive batters. Meade’s home run was his lone hit of the day.

The Citadel (36-21) advances to face No. 1 seed Elon at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 23 in Game 11 of the tournament.

“Today was great for momentum and confidence,”  said Meade.  “  Hopefully tomorrow we’ll get another quality start like Matt Crim had today and keep moving in the tourney. Elon is a great team— they have the best record in the conference and are probably one of the hottest teams in the conference, so we’re just going to have to get out there and compete and fight as hard as we can. We know they’re going to come with their ‘A game,’ we just hope we out do them.”