CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The top-seeded Citadel Bulldogs notched a run in the bottom of the 10th inning to take a 6-5 victory over fourth-seeded Elon in an elimination game for the Phoenix at the Southern Conference Baseball Tournament on Saturday afternoon. Elon moves to 38-22 on the year while The Citadel improves to 41-20. 

The game was played in front of 4,033 fans, the 10th-largest crowd in tournament history.  It was also the fourth extra-inning contest of the tournament, marking a tournament record.

Bryan Altman and Justin Mackert posted back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the second for The Citadel before Elon erased Altman at third on Kyle Jordan's bunt.  David Greene's ground out moved the runners to second and third before Grant Richards singled to left to score Mackert.  Jordan tried to score from second, but was gunned down at the plate on a perfect throw from Niko Fraser.

 

The Elon fourth began with a triple to right-center off the bat of Fraser.  After Mike Melillo was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners, Neal Pritchard's one-out single up the middle evened the score at one.  The runners were moving on a 3-2 pitch to Ben Scott who lined a ball hard to right that was snared by the Bulldog right fielder who fired into second to complete the double play to snuff out the Phoenix's threat.

 

The Citadel went back on top, 2-1, when Brad Felder hit a one-out homer over the wall in right in the bottom of the sixth.  It was his 11th of the year.

 

After the first two hitters of the Elon seventh were retired, the Phoenix loaded the bases as Justin Hilt singled, Harry Austin was hit by a pitch and Fraser notched an infield single.  Melillo fell behind in the count 0-2, but worked a walk to force Hilt in with the tying run.  Ryan Adams then put Elon back in front at 4-2 when he drove home both Austin and Fraser with a double down the left field line.  The double was the 18th of the year for Adams, moving him into a tie for seventh on Elon's single-season chart. 

 

The Phoenix added another run in the ninth when, with Fraser on third and Melillo on first, Adams lifted a sacrifice fly to right.

 

Felder drew a walk to start the bottom of the ninth before Kyle Webb struck Matt Simonelli out.  Altman grounded out to second, moving Felder to second before Mackert lined a single to right-center to plate the third Bulldog run.  Kyle Jordan tapped a ball back to Webb, but the ball was thrown away at first to leave runners at second and third for Greene. Thomas Girdwood came on in the bottom of the ninth and allowed a single by Greene that tied the game at five.

 

William Ladd reached on an infield single to lead off the bottom of the 10th and went to second on a sac bunt. Felder then singled up the middle, sending Ladd home and giving the Bulldogs the win.

 

Mitch Conner (0-1) suffered the loss for the Phoenix after throwing a third of an inning and giving up one run on two hits. Webb went 8.2 innings, giving up five runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out three batters in the first start of the career.

 

Drew Mahaffey (4-3) was the winning pitcher after throwing two-thirds of an inning.

 

Canipe, Swim and Fraser each posted two hits for Elon with Fraser crossing the plate three times. Adams tallied three RBI for the Phoenix.

 

Four Bulldogs notched two-hit games - Felder, Mackert, Greene and Richards.