Feb. 17, 2007

Box Score

BOCA RATON, FL - The La Salle University Baseball team won its first game of the season over Ball State, 4-2, thanks to the starting pitching of Dennis Burge and a first-inning home run by John Rickards.

Rickards, who went 1-for-1 the day before and was hit by three pitches, wasted no time in getting his second hit of the season, hitting a home run to right field, plating Justin Handler, who singled two batters earlier.

The Explorers struck again in the second, as Matt Burns single to lead off the frame, moved to second thanks to a sacrifice bunt by Brian Meagher, and scored on Handler's single to right.

Handler went 3-for-3 on the day with two runs scored, including an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning after Ball State had cut La Salle's lead to just 3-2. Rickards ended the game 2-for-3 and two RBI.

Ahead 3-0, La Salle (1-1) threatened for more in the fourth, as they loaded the bases with two outs, but Cardinal starter Tyler Pritchard got out of the jam with a fielder's choice.

Ball State (0-2) finally broke through in the top of the sixth, leading off with back-to-back singles, which forced La Salle to go with its closer Gerard Breslin, who pitched the final two innings of the game, striking out two, and picking up his first save of the season, 21st of his career.

Burge picked up his first win of the year, as he threw five innings, allowed just two runs and struck out four. Pritchard suffered the loss.

The two teams played another game later in the day.