Philadelphia, PA - La Salle junior Ryan Parfit (Flourtown, Pa/La Salle) went 4-5 from the plate and hit a triple in the top of the sixth scoring senior John Snyder (Lititz, PA/Manheim Township). But the Explorers could not rally from a 6-2 defecit, and dropped an 8-7 decision to the St. Bonaventure University Bonnies today, Friday, April 9, 2004.

Parfit scored the first run of the game putting La Salle up 1-0 when sophomore Mike Essery (Havetown, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) recorded his lone RBI of the game. The Bonnies answered right back with a run of their own and the game was tied 1-1 at the end of the first inning.

La Salle then took it's second and final lead of the game when John Snyder brought fellow senior Scott Gehringer (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen) in for a 2-1 lead which the Explorers held on to until the bottom of the third when St. Bonaventure scored five runs to go up 6-2.

Parfit tallied his first RBI of the game in the third when he singled to the pitcher, scoring junior Phil Marino (Blackwood, NJ/Highland) and gaining La Salle its third run. The Bonnies grabbed two more runs in the bottom of the fourth and took an 8-3 lead.

The Explorers scored two runs in the fifth and two runs in the sixth innings. Essery scored in the fifth off a senior Jay Snyder (Milton, PA/Milton) RBI. Freshman Rich Prall also scored a run in the fifth. Prall finished the day 3-4 from the plate, as did Marino. Parfit's triple scored La Salle's sixth run of the game, and he then scored the seventh and final run for La Salle off a wild pitch.

Senior Eric Ruhland (Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge) struck-out five batters as he started on the mound for La Salle. He was relieved after three and one third inngs by senior Chris Hughes (Wallingford, PA/Strath Haven), who struck out three batters in two and two thirds innings.

La Salle is now 13-13-2 overall and remains winless in the conference now at 0-7. The series with the Bonnies continues tomorrow, Saturday, April 10th at noon.