Posted by: Marc Mullen
Rich Prall (unseen) mobbed by his teammates after his game-winning single scored Burge. |
Dennis Burge drove in the game-tying runs in the ninth. |
Mike Dertouzos (#12) congratulated by his teammates after his two-run home run. |
Gerard Breslin won his third game of the season. |
PHILADELPHIA, PA - The La Salle University Baseball team scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning with key hits by Dennis Burge, a two-RBI single, and Rich Prall, the game-winning hit, to win its first ever Liberty Bell Classic Championship, 6-5, over Lafayette at Citizens Bank Park Tuesday night.
Trailing 5-3 entering the ninth, the Explorers Justin Handler started the inning with a single literally off of Leopards closer John Fugett (his leg) and moved to second on his errant throw to first and then pinch hitter John Vincent drew a walk.
The next batter, Burge drove a 1-2 pitch into the right-center field gap; however with the way Lafayette was playing its outfielders, it caused Handler to hold up at second looking to tag-up if the ball was caught. As soon as it dropped, though, he broke for third, but had Vincent on his tail, who was in full sprint from first. The pair rounded third and scored as the throw home sailed high, which allowed Burge to advance to second.
Bill Kern then laid down a bunt and reached first without a throw, moving the winning-run Burge to third with nobody out. Prall then laced a 2-2 pitch back through the middle for his third hit of the night, scoring Burge and setting off a joyous celebration by the Explorers, who despite their chances could not capitalize until the ninth.
The Explorer bullpen did their job, as La Salle used four pitchers out of the pen, who pitched six innings and allowed the Leopards just four hits and one run and held them scoreless for the last four innings.
