March 7, 2008
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - La Salle University freshman Kevin Fuqua threw a complete game shutout to help the Explorers to their first win of the season, 1-0, over Cornell on Friday afternoon at Hank DeVincent Field. However, the Big Red took the second game of the non-conference doubleheader, 4-0, to split the day.
Fuqua becomes the first freshman at La Salle to throw a complete game shutout since Joe Marykwas shut out Robert Morris back in March 1985 and registers the first Explorers shutout since Dan Waters blanked Fordham on March 26, 2005.
The right hander faced just 25 batters in the scheduled seven-inning game, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out nine batters. Only once - in the second inning - did a Cornell base runner stand on third base.
After Fuqua pitched a perfect first, La Salle gave him all the runs he would need in the bottom of the frame - without a hit. John Rickards led off by reaching on an error, then stole second and moved to third when the throw bounced into centerfield. John Malloy hit a sac fly to center to plate the only run of the game.
Fuqua then ran into a little trouble in the second with one out. Kaleb Hutchinson singled through the left side, then Brian Kaufman drew a walk. Scott Hardinger flew out to center and Hutchinson tug up to put runners on the corners. However, Fuqua got Kyle Groth swinging to end the threat.
After Cornell's Domenic Di Ricco hit a one-out double in the top of the third - the only extra base hit allowed by Fuqua - he retired 14 of the final 15 batters, six by strikeout and, at one point, 10 straight. Fuqua (1-1) won his first collegiate game with the outing and gave La Salle its first win of the season.
On the other side, Big Red's Corey Pappel - despite the 1-0 deficit - had a no-hitter going through five innings. Explorers reached base - a strikeout passed ball, two hit batters, another error - but he would leave then stranded.
Malloy led off the bottom of the sixth with a hard grounder down the first-base line, which Groth just missed, for the only Explorer hit of the game.
Pappel suffered the loss and is now 1-1. He allowed just the one run, the one hit, one walk and struck out six batters.
In the second game, La Salle would register four hits, including back-to-back singles in the first and second innings, but would not plate a run.
Cornell (2-4) scored a first inning run when Mickey Brodsky singled home Nathan Ford, who singled with two out and stole second.
That was all the run support Matt Hill (1-0) would need as he pitched a complete game shutout for Cornell, allowing the four hits and one walk, while striking out four in a rain-shortened five-inning contest.
Jamie Cowan (0-2) took the loss after going three innings, allowing just two hits and the one run.
La Salle (1-10) is scheduled to host Hartford, Saturday at 12 PM; Wagner, Sunday at 12 PM, but will wait to see what the weather will allow. Check back to the website for the any schedule changes.
