Philadelphia, PA - La Salle senior Ryan Parfit's (Flourtown, PA/La Salle) tenth inning double lifted the Explorers over the Blue Hens and sends La Salle into the second round of the Liberty Bell Classic. The 2-1 victory gives La Salle a 8-14 overall record after winning four of their last five games.
La Salle freshman Brandon Geib started on the mound for La Salle and pitched five full innings. He struck out six batters and gave up no runs. Geib was relieved by sophomore Jarrod Ringer (Schnecksville, PA/Parkland). Ringer pitched into the ninth inning. He faced 12 batters, struck out four and walked none. Sophomore Gerard Breslin (Havertown, PA/Haverford) came in to close for the Explorers. He is now 3-0 on the season after earning the win today.
The Explorers went four innings without a hit and then freshman Matt Dunaway (Little Rock, AR/Central Arkansas Christian) tallied La Salle's first hit in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the game remained scoreless for one more inning.
La Salle scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the sixth when senior Phil Marino (Blackwood, NJ/Highland) darted home on a wild pitch. The Explorers took the 1-0 lead and held on to it until the top of the ninth inning.
The Explorers entered the ninth inning up 1-0 and just three outs away from recording their fourth win in five games. The Blue Hens had other plans as Delaware tied the game up at one and sent the game into extra innings. Delaware went scoreless in the top of the tenth and La Salle had its chance to win the game.
La Salle junior Mike Essery (Havertown, PA/Cardinal O'Hara) led off and reached on an error. He then advanced to second base on an error by the first baseman in an attemoted pick off. Parfit then stepped to the plate with the winning run on second base. He knocked a bomb to left field and Essery scored making La Salle 8-4 since they returned from Florida.
The Explorers were set to travel to the University of Massachusetts this weekend for Atlantic 10 conference action, but due to weather that will be hitting the Northeast the games have been postponed. La Salle's next game will be Tuesday, April 5th when the Explorers host Delaware State at 3:00 p.m.
