PHILADELPHIA, PA - Solid starting pitching by Ken Elkind and strong run support helped the La Salle University Baseball team defeat Saint Joseph's Saturday, 8-6, in the second game of a three-game Atlantic 10 set at Hank DeVincent Field. The victory is also the 800th in the La Salle Baseball program's history.

 

Elkind, who was named A-10 Rookie of the Week after shutting out Dayton for six innings last week, threw seven innings and allowed just four hits and three runs, while striking out nine Hawks in winning his second straight start. The Explorers eight runs in the game matched their output in their first four conference games.

 

They scored their first run thanks to a little trickery. Leading off the fourth, Rich Prall drew a walk and Dennis Burge then faked a sacrifice bunt attempt. As Saint Joseph's moved into position to field the play, Burge pulled back and hit a grounder through the infield and legged out a double as Prall moved to third.

 

Prall was then awarded home; Burge advanced to third after Hawk starting pitcher Jeff Williams was called for a balk. The Explorers then tried a suicide squeeze, but Burge was caught stealing after the bunt attempt failed.

 

La Salle (8-16, 3-2 A-10) added two more runs in the fifth thanks to a Burge single. Justin Handler led off the frame with a hit-by-pitch and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mike Essery. Bill Kern walked and Prall loaded the bases with a single to right field.

 

Burge singled back through the middle on a checked swing, but it was enough to plate both Handler and Kern and La Salle took a 3-0 lead.

 

Saint Joseph's (11-19, 3-2 A-10) was hitless before a bloop single to center by Jereme Scott with one out in the fifth. With two out in the sixth, they finally got their first runs of the game, when Adriano Petrutz doubled and Matt Godusky drove him in with his third home run of the season.

 

The Explorers looked like they put the game away after plating five runs in the seventh all with two outs. They loaded the bases with a Kern single, Prall double and Burge walk. Mike Dertouzos drove in two runs with a single to center and George Hudock followed with a three-run home run to right-center field.

 

Fielding miscues helped the Hawks score three runs in the top of the eighth to cut the Explorer lead to 8-5, and they loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning after a leadoff error. Godusky made the game very interesting with his fly ball to right field. It came close to leaving the park, but instead of a grand slam, it was a sacrifice fly, which plated Chris Cashman, and the Explorers got the final out of the game to escape.