Philadelphia, PA - The La Salle Explorer baseball team hosted #1 in the West Geroge Washington for a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Hank DeVincent Field. In game one, the Explorers fell 6-2 after being tied 2-2 early in the contest. Game two saw a late tie before the Colonials scored two-runs in the seventh to win the contest 7-5. The Colonials improve 31-14 overall and 14-3 in conference play, while the Explorers fell below .500 to stand at 18-20 overall and 4-13.

GAME 1

The Colonials got on the board first with two runs in the first. GW collected three singles and a walk to go up 2-0. Ryan Roberson collected an RBI when he singled to left center with both Tom Shanley and Anthony Raglani on base. Shanley had singled to right with one out followed by Raglani's walk. Roberson drove in Shanley and advanced to second on the throw to third where Raglani was safe. Both runners with a line drive and advanced to second on the throw to third. Brad Rosenblat was then intentionally walked to load the bases for GW's RBI leader Smith. Smith was actually 10th in the NCAA going into this week and is averaging 1.45 per game. Smith hit into a fielder's choice but beat out the double play to allowing Raglani to score and picking up the RBI. In an interesting pickle, the inning ended when Roberson was thrown out at the plate after a failed pickoff at first base caused him to attempt to steal home.

La Salle answered in the bottom of the second with two runs only one of which was earned. Jay Stephens (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) singled to start the inning and was then thrown out at second on a fielder's choice that allowed Billy Kern (Northfield, NJ/Mainland) to reach first. With one out, John Reifensnyder (Flourtown, PA/La Salle) hit a tough ball behind the back at first. Mickey Shupin who started at second for GW, used his speed to retrieve the ball but forced a shuffle pass to Smith at first. The play was ruled a hit but both runners advanced on the throw which got past Smith and rolled into the dugout. The next batter, John Snyder (Lititz, PA/Manheim Township) hit a two run double to tie the score at two. It was assumed that without a throwing error from Shupin, Reifensnyder would not have scored from first. Therefore, Sullivan was only tagged with one earned run. Sullivan allowed two runs, one earned, on seven hits and three walks.

Smith put the Colonials ahead of La Sallewith a two-run home run in the fourth inning for his 12th long-ball of the year and 60th RBI of the season. Fertitta followed the freshman with a solo home run for his third homer of the season and 21st of his career. Sullivan needed no more help as he picked up 10 strikeouts including several with runners on to end the inning. GW's ace leads the team in wins with seven and strikeouts with 68 compared to only 22 walks this year. Derrik Lutz pitched the final two outs of the ninth on a double play to end the game and earn his seventh save.

GAME 2

La Salle went ahead in the first inning but the Colonials answered with a run of their own in the second. La Salle scored after Rich Prall (Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks West) doubled and was moved to third on a single by George Hudock (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown). Scott Gehringer (Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen) drove in Prall with a single to put the Explorers ahead for the first time on Saturday.

After an out in the second, the Colonials Rosenblat singled and then advanced to second on a passed ball. Fertitta drove in Rosenblat on an RBI double to left field to tie the score at one.

Shanley put the Colonials ahead in the third on a two-run home run to left field. Matt Owens led off the inning with a single and also scored on Shanley's homer. Anthony Raglani then sat on the next pitch picking up a double to right center for his ninth of the year. Ryan Roberson walked with no outs. Raglani advanced to third on a fly out to center from Anthony Smith and Roberson stole second to put himself into scoring position after the second out. Geoff Milsom then put GW up 5-1 with a two-run single through the right side that scored Raglani and Roberson. Milsom was thrown out when he slid past second trying to advance on the throw but the first baseman cut off the throw and threw him out at second.

Hudock hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third on an 0-2 pitch that he drove the other way for an opposite-field homer. Hodock's ninth home run brought the Explorers within three with a 5-2 score. In the fifth inning, Wilkie faced the top of the order and gave up one unearned run on two singles. Ryan Parfit (Flourtown, PA/La Salle) singled to start the inning and moved to second on a ground out to the second baseman. Hudock reached when third baseman Roberson booted a ball for an error. Gehringer then singled to load the bases. Phil Marino (Blackwood, NJ/Highland) hit the ball back to the pitcher but Wilkie forced out Parfit at home for what should have been the third out of the inning. Hudock scored from third on a passed ball that was only inches off the plate and popped out of Fertitta's glove behind the plate for the unearned run that made the score 5-3.

In the sixth, Parfit hit a two run home run off of reliever Rasowsky to tie the game at five. GW starter Josh Wilkie walked Mike Essery (Havertown, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) with two outs and was pulled in favor of the lefty Rasowsky. Despite giving up the tying run, Rasowsky earned the win when GW battled back for two runs in the top of the final inning. Owens walked to start the inning and end the day for La Salle starter Bryan Harvey Doylestown, PA/La Salle) who fell to 3-2 with the loss. Shanley reached on a fielder's choice which retired Owens at second. Raglani then blasted a single to center field to move Shanley to third. Roberson reached on a fielder's choice which turned into an errant throw to second from the shortstop. Rather than turning a double play, La Salle allowed Shanley to score and Raglani to move to third. RBI machine Smith then added an insurance run with a single that scored Raglani for an unearned run from third. GW's inning ended on a double play but only after they scored two to make it 7-5.

The Explorers will close out the three-game series with George Washington Sunday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. at Hank DeVincent Field.