May 4, 2007
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - Dan Waters struck out nine Flyers and TJ Chism hit a solo home run and added a triple to lead the La Salle University Baseball team to a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over Dayton in Atlantic 10 action at Hank DeVincent Field, Friday.
Waters threw a career-high tying eight innings while striking out nine batters - one shy of his season high - to pick up his fifth win of the season. It was his 12th career win as an Explorer, tying him for fifth all-time, while he increased his career K number to 188, second all-time to teammate Gerard Breslin.
Speaking of Breslin, he came in to register his eighth save of the season - one off of his single-season record of nine set in 2005. After the first two batters reached base, Breslin struck out the next two - for 211 career Ks in 210 career innings - then got the final out with a fly ball for his 28th career save.
The Explorers started the game off with a lone run in the first inning. With two outs, John Rickards was hit by his 18th pitch of the season just before Rich Prall stroked his 250th career hit - a double to left center scoring Rickards.
Prall is now just one hit shy of tying Steve O'Donnell (1986-89) for second place on the all-time hits list and now has 48 career doubles, good for third, and it was his 118th career RBI - seventh all-time.
The lead was short-lived, as the Flyers plated two in the top of the second with a pair of two-out hits. Jeff Mercer led off the frame with a double, but was still there two outs later.
Cole Tyrell then laced a double just inside the left field line to score Mercer, then scored one batter later on Frank Tedesco's single.
Dayton (17-27, 6-13 A-10) would tack on its last run of the day and take a 3-1 lead when Bobby Getty singled home Michael Massa in the third inning.
After that, Chism sparked La Salle's comeback. In the bottom of the fourth, he blasted his first collegiate home run over the right field fence, then tied the game when he scored on a squeeze play with Justin Handler after he had tripled.
Handler, who was also hit by a pitch in the game, the 19th time this season, would register the go-ahead RBI as well, when he drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth, to score Davis Hewett.
La Salle (15-24, 7-12 A-10) added another run when Brian Meagher was hit by a pitch scoring Dennis Burge.
Waters improved to 5-5 with the win, while Dayton starter Chris Rubio fell to 5-6.
The two teams will continue the three-game series, Saturday at 1 PM.
