April 26, 2008
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - Drew Gerhart threw seven scoreless innings and John Malloy hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to lift the La Salle University Baseball team to a 1-0 victory over visiting Rhode Island, Saturday, in Atlantic 10 Conference action at Hank DeVincent Field.
With the win, La Salle has now won four straight A-10 contests in a row for the first time since 2003. That season, the Explorers swept Saint Joseph's in a three-game series (March 22-23) and then beat Massachusetts (March 29).
All four wins in that streak had come at home, as has this current four-game streak. Also, it was the first time in three years that La Salle posted a 1-0 victory - defeating Dayton on April 16, 2005.
Much like Friday's starter, Gerhart battled through those seven innings, allowing four hits and seven walks, however, three Rams were thrown out stealing, two of which ended innings.
Gerhart ran into trouble in just two innings - in the third and sixth. He faced a first-and-third with two out in the third, but got a fly to center to end that threat. Then faced a bases loaded jam in the sixth.
After getting the first out of the inning, he walked back-to-back batters and Mike O'Malley came within inches of breaking the scoreless tie, but his ball landed just foul, which would have scored one and put runners on second and third.
However, Gerhart forced him into a fielder's choice for out number two, and after walking Dan Rhault to load the bases, Rob Deveney hit into another fielder's choice ending that threat.
Rhode Island (21-21-1, 8-8-1 A-10) starter Nick Greenwood was locked in as well, allowing just three hits through the first five innings and actually struck out five batters in a row in the fourth and fifth innings.
It was the second batter of the sixth inning - Malloy - who put the only blemish on Greenwood's line, as Malloy hit a solo home run over the right field fence to put La Salle up 1-0.
Justin Handler, who had three of the Explorers nine hits, then singled and John Rickards followed with a walk, but Greenwood would strike out the next two to end the inning.
Gerhart would get the first two batters in the seventh, before walking Pete Mastors. He got Oliver Palmer swinging to end the frame and the Explorers' pen took over.
Shane Frangiosa allowed a one-out walk in the eighth, but the Explorers' first double play of the day ended the frame. Then in the ninth, with one out and runners on first and second, Kevin Fuqua came in and pitched to just one batter, getting Tom Coulombe to ground into a game-ending double play.
Gerhart improved to 3-4 with the victory and Fuqua earned his second save in as many days. Greenwood drops to 3-5, despite going 7.1 innings, allowing one earned run and striking out 10.
La Salle (11-30, 6-11 A-10) will conclude its three-game series with the Rams on Sunday with a 12 PM start.
