Philadelphia, PA - Head Coach Lee Saverio and the La Salle University baseball team dropped an 11-5 decision to the Fordham University Rams today, Friday, March 25th. La Salle falls to 4-13 overall and 2-2 on the Atlantic 10 conference.

 

The Rams got on the board first scoring two of the 11 runs in the first inning off of Explorer errors. Fordham did not stop there as they tallied seven third inning runs and two fourth inning runs and held the Explorers scoreless for the first four innings of play.

 

The fifth inning proved to be the only bright spot of the game for La Salle as they finally seemed to get the bats going. Freshman Grant Harm (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) scored the first Explorer run after he reached on a double. Fellow freshman John Rickards (Doylestown, PA/Central Bucks West) singled, sending Harm to third and leaving junior Mike Essery (Havertown, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) with runners in scoring positions. Essery singled to center field, scoring Harm and moving Rickards to second base.

 

La Salle did not stop there as senior Ryan Parfit (Flourtown, PA/La Salle) doubled to deep center field and scored both Rickards and Essery for La Salle's second and third runs of the game. Sophomore Billy Kern (Northfield, NJ/Mainland) then stepped to the plate and hit a rocket at Fordham's short stop, advancing to second on the error by the short stop and scoring Parfit. La Salle trailed 11-4 when junior George Hudock (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) hit a triple to deep center field scoring Kern. The fifth run of the inning would prove to be the last of the game for the Explorers.

 

Senior Anthony Boscaglia (Vineland, NJ/Sacred Heart) started on the mound for La Salle and pitched into the third inning. He struck out two batters before a trio of freshmen came in at relief. Michael Caruso (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) finished the third inning for Boscaglia and Jamie Cowan (Annandale, VA/Bishop Ireton) started the fourth. Cowan pitched two innings and struck out two batters. John DiPiero finished up on the mound for La Salle pitching in the final two innings.

 

Fordham freshman Cory Riordan (Killingworth, CT/Haddam-Killingworth) pitched into the final inning for the Rams. He struck out six batters and walked just one of the 28 batters he faced. Junior James Sammut (San Bruno, CA/St. Ignatius College Prep) closed for the Rams. He struck out two of the three batters he faced and walked none.

 

The Explorers and the Rams will finish up their three game series tomorrow, Saturday, March 26th with a double header starting at 12:30 p.m.