April 16, 2008
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - TJ Chism hit a bases-clearing double in a six-run fourth inning for the Explorers and Sean Kennedy pitched more than six innings of relief to help the La Salle University Baseball team to an 8-2 victory over Penn at Meiklejohn Stadium, Wednesday.
For Kennedy, he threw 6.1 innings out of the pen, the most by an Explorers since Anthony Boscaglia (2002-05) went 6.1 innings at Delaware State, April 22, 2003 in a 12-10 victory. Kennedy allowed just one run on seven hits and struck out three.
However, he hit the first batter he faced after coming in to relieve starter Jamie Cowan, which loaded the bases in the bottom of the third. He got Matt Toffaletti to ground into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
La Salle then sent 11 batters to the plate in the top of the fourth, scoring six runs and taking control of the contest. RJ Hollinshead reached base on an error, Mike Dertouzos was hit by a pitch, and Kevin Jones drove in a run with a single back through the middle.
It looked like Reid Terry (0-4) was going to get out of the inning without any further damage after getting the next two batters with strikeouts, which would have ended the inning if not for the error. Then the flood gates opened.
John Malloy singled to right center to score a pair and give La Salle a 3-2 lead. Justin Handler followed with a single and John Rickards was hit by a pitch to load the bases, before Chism smacked a double to left center driving in all three.
Penn (12-16-1) did add one in the bottom of the frame on four straight singles, the last by Steve Gable scored Jeff Cellucci. But Kennedy got the final two outs of the frame and did not allow another runner to reach third the rest of the way to register his first collegiate win.
The Explorers tacked on single runs in the sixth - Rickards stole home on a double steal with Chism - and the eighth - Handler scored on a wild pitch - to cushion their lead.
Five Explorers had two hits in the game - Malloy, Handler, Rickards, Chism and Jones, as Handler extended his career-long hitting streak to 11 games.
Cowan pitched in his 71st career game for La Salle, which is tied for the third-most ever at the school, and is three strikeouts away from the 10 in that category. Rickards is now tied for seventh in career total bases with 319, and is three RBI shy of that top 10 list.
La Salle (7-28) will now return home for six of its next seven after playing nine straight from Hank DeVincent Field. They will host Fordham this weekend in an three-game Atlantic 10 series starting Friday at 3 PM.
