April 17, 2007

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, PA - Despite pounding out 13 hits, the La Salle University Baseball team dropped a 6-3 decision to Villanova, Tuesday, in non-conference action at Villanova Ballpark.

 

The Explorers opened the game with a two-run first inning, but plated just one more - in the top of the ninth - despite the double-digit hit output. The factor was that they were all singles, with Rich Prall hitting three of them, and John Malloy, John Rickards, Davis Hewett, and Brian Meagher each having two.

 

After Malloy led off the game with a free pass, three straight hits by Prall, Rickards and Hewett plated the pair of runs, as Rickards and Hewett picked up an RBI apiece.

 

From that point until the bottom of the sixth, pitching dominated the play. Dan Waters (2.0 IP/2 Ks) and Dennis Burge (3.0 IP/3 Ks) held Villanova to just three hits over five innings.

 

But the Wildcats finally got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with three runs and did it again in the seventh. Joe Rosati and Derek Shunk each scored two runs, while the key hit in each inning came from Dan Terpak, who hit a pair of triples, plating three.

 

Villanova (17-15) held La Salle off the scoreboard for seven straight innings, as Brian Streilen did most of it himself, tossing 5.1 innings of scoreless relief and striking out five. He picked up the win, and is now 1-1, while La Salle's Christian Schulz took the loss and is 0-1.

 

The Explorers did plate a third run in the bottom of the ninth, as again, three straight singles by Prall, Rickards and Hewett loaded the bases. Matt Burns brought Prall in with an RBI grounder for the second out of the inning and they would not get any more.

 

La Salle (13-18) finished the year with a 6-3 record against the rest of the city schools - getting at least one win against each. They are next in action when they travel to Massachusetts for a three-game Atlantic 10 series starting Friday.