Stetson University sophomore right hander Brooks Wilson had his mind on a steak dinner after a dominating performance in the Hatters' 7-0 victory over The Citadel on Saturday afternoon at Melching Field.

He is certainly deserving of a choice cut of meat after blanking the Bulldogs on just two hits while posting a career-high 11 strikeouts in the complete game effort.

The Hatters improved to 14-13 on the year with the win while The Citadel falls to 12-16. Stetson will try to complete a weekend series sweep on Sunday when the teams meet in a game scheduled for 1 p.m.

The 11 strikeouts in a game was the most for any Stetson pitcher since Andy Mauldin struck out 11 in a complete game four-hit victory (6-1) over East Tennessee State on May 8, 2009.

“That has been a while ago, and Andy was a good one,” Hatters head coach Pete Dunn said. “I didn't realize how many strikeouts he had, but he did a great job. He pitched ahead and was very economical with 106 pitches. They helped him late in the game by swinging at some first pitches. That was great because it multiplied the opportunity for him to finish the game.”

Wilson (3-4) credited the work of his catcher, sophomore Austin Hale, for making the biggest difference in his outing this week over his performance last Friday at Coastal Carolina when he surrendered eight runs over three innings with just two strikeouts.

“The most important thing about today was the connection I had with Austin,” Wilson said. “We were always on the same page and he knew what I wanted to throw, and that makes everything work better. I had all my pitches working for me today and he was able to block everything and keep it in front of him and make good plays for me.”

Dunn said he and pitching coach Dave Therneau had a conversation in the dugout after Stetson scored three runs in the eighth inning about taking Hale out of the game.

“We talked after getting those runs about getting Austin out, but Dave is more superstitious than I am,” Dunn said. “With a 7-0 lead, I could see a foul ball getting a finger or something. I thought we had the game won, but Dave didn't want to do it. They worked so well together all day that I hated to change that up when he was out there trying to get a complete game shutout.”

The shutout was the first for a Stetson pitcher since Will Dorsey, who was in attendance at the game with a large group of former Hatters, pitched a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 victory over USC Upstate in the 2012 Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament.

“It was very comforting to get those runs late in the game,” Wilson said. “I knew the guys were going to make plays behind me and that allowed me to just go out and throw strikes.

“I felt a little out of place last time out, but it all fell together here. It felt like a regular day. My arm felt good and I just started getting into a rhythm and making pitches.”

The Hatters gave Wilson some wiggle room early in the game, and it was his battery-mate who drew first blood against Bulldogs starter Thomas Byelick (0-3). Vance Vizcaino and Matt Morales opened the game with consecutive hits, but were still at second and third with two out in the inning. Hale delivered a ground ball up the middle just out of the reach of a diving Jacob Watcher, driving in both runs.

“It was very important to get those early runs,” Dunn said. “We are still not doing our best with runners at third base and less than two outs, but Hale came up with the big two-out hit up the middle to get those runs.”

Stetson added a run in the third inning when Kirk Sidwell singled to center, moved up on a wild pitch and then scored on another wild pitch. The lead grew to 4-0 in the fifth when Vizcaino tripled to left center and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Morales.

The Hatters added three insurance runs in the eighth inning off Citadel reliever Kyle Smith, with Jack Machonis and Colton Lightner both delivering two out hits to plate runs.

“Machonis got the hit in the eighth to take it out of one swing range, which is something we always talk about,” Dunn said. “We still have a long way to go with our short game and our bunting game. It hurt us last night and today, but it didn't cost us in either game. If we don't fix it pretty quick and get it where it needs to be it will end up costing us a ball game, and probably a big ball game.”

Wilson finished off the game in grand style. He retired 13 of the last 14 Citadel hitters, including each of the last eight after a one-out walk in the seventh. He needed just three pitches to retire the side in the eighth inning and then just seven more to close out the game in the ninth.

“I have never done that before,” Brooks said of the three-pitch inning. “Hopefully, someone will buy me a steak after that. You just want to go out there and make pitches and, if they swing, get the out.”

Vizcaino and Machonis had two hits each to lead the Stetson offense, which got hits in the game from eight different players.

The Hatters will give the ball to freshman right-hander Logan Gilbert on Sunday. It will be his second start of the year, but his first in a weekend game.

“Gibby will be out there and it is a great opportunity for him,” Dunn said. “He has earned it. We knew when he came in here that he was going to be a starter for us and he has earned the opportunity tomorrow to go out there and give us that start.”