CHARLESTON, S.C. - Despite playing its eighth error-free game of the season, the CSU baseball struggled to cross home plate, and suffered an 11-3 setback at the hands of the Citadel Bulldogs on Tuesday afternoon at CSU Ballpark. The Citadel has swept the season series, as they had previously claimed a 12-5 win over the Bucs back on March 29 at Riley Park.

The Bucs (20-21) will travel to Winthrop for a three-game Big South series on Friday and Saturday. The Bucs and the Eagles will meet at 6 p.m. on Friday evening in Rock Hill, S.C. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday with the first game slated for 2 p.m.

Walt Quattlebaum and Alex Tomasovich were each 2-for-4 with a run, while Tomasovich also recorded one of the Bucs' two RBI on the day. Tom Burkett claimed the other, going 1-for-5. Jaren Sustar was 1-for-3 with a run, while Zach Hagaman was 1-for-2 for the Bucs, who totaled seven hits on the day. Levi Mauldin gave up two runs off of five hits in 3.1 innings and took the loss. Kyle Ward and Brennan Dorsett each threw 1.2 innings, giving up three and four runs, respectively. Corey Deighan held the Bulldogs hitless in the top of the ninth, striking out two batters.

Joe Jackson was 2-for-4 with four RBI for the Bulldogs, while Calvin Orth and William Ladd were each 3-for-5. Ladd was also one of five Citadel players to cross home plate twice. Starting pitcher Bryce Hines picked up the win, giving up just one run off of four hits in 6.0 innings. Freshman Connor Hitchingham picked up the three-inning save, giving up two earned runs off three hits.

Nick Orvin walked in the first at-bat of the game, and then stole second. He made it home on a single to left field by Ladd, putting the Bulldogs up 1-0 early in the first inning. The Citadel kept off the board for the next two innings, but padded their lead in the fourth. Josh Pless reached first on a fielder's choice, allowing Drew DeKerlegand to make it home for a 2-0 Bulldog lead.

Orvin then homered to start the fifth inning, putting the Bulldogs up 3-0. Ladd and Brad Felder then scored when Joe Jackson singled to center field, stretching the Citadel's advantage to 5-0.

Tomasovich doubled to left center in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring on a single by Burkett to put the Bucs on the board at 5-1.

However, the Bulldogs kept up the hot bats for the next three innings. In the top of the sixth, Orth made it home on a double by Grant Richards. Richard himself then scored on a single by Felder to put The Citadel up 7-1. An inning later, Orth singled to right center to drive home DeKerlegand and Ladd to keep the Bulldogs ahead 9-1.

In the top of the eight, Jackson singled to send Felder and Richards across home plate, putting the Bulldogs' lead at 11-1. The Buccaneers were able to make a dent in the deficit in the bottom of the inning. Quattlebaum singled, advancing on a scoring error that also allowed Jaren Sustar to make it home. A single by Tomasovich scored Quattlebaum, but the Bucs couldn't make the comeback and fell to the Bulldogs 11-3.