May 11, 2007

Box Score

CINCINNATI, OH - The La Salle University Baseball team fought back from an early deficit to take a one-run lead, only to see the Xavier Musketeers plate two runs in the bottom of the eighth and claim a 5-4 victory in the first game of a three-game Atlantic 10 series at Hayden Field, Friday.

Xavier (22-27, 13-9 A-10) jumped out to an early 3-0 lead on Matt Waskerwitz's three-run home run in the second inning, plating both Robbie Kelley and Andy Zellers, who each singled. The Musketeers continued to threat, getting two more singles in the frame before the final out of the inning. 

However, La Salle starter Dan Waters then settled in after that, allowing harmless fifth and seventh-inning singles. He threw a total of 6.1 innings and struck out five batters, increasing his La Salle total to 193 and career total to 202.

While Waters was controlling Xavier at the plate, La Salle was able to put some runs up on the board and managed to tie the game in the top of the fifth inning. 

The Explorers plated a single run in the fourth - an RBI double by TJ Chism which scored Dennis Burge - and a pair in the fifth - when Rich Prall doubled home Billy Kern and John Rickards.

For Prall, it was hit number 252, moving him into sole possession of second all-time in hits at La Salle.

Davis Hewett then gave the Explorers a 4-3 lead after singling to lead off the eighth. He moved to second on Burge's sacrifice, to third on a Chism grounder, then scored on a wild pitch.

However, the Musketeers plated two runs in the bottom of the eighth, tying the game with a sacrifice fly by Zellers and Drew Schmidt drove in the winning run with a single to center.

Picking up the win for Xavier was Mark Janszen (4-2), who threw 3.1 innings of relief, while Zac Richard earned the his sixth save of the season. Burge took the loss and is now 4-2 in 2007.

La Salle (16-27, 8-14 A-10) and the Musketeers will continue the three-game series, Saturday, with a start time of 1:00 PM.