April 6, 2008
Box Score
SAINT LOUIS, MO - Freshman Kevin Fuqua threw a complete-game six-hitter, the Explorers' offense scored their second-most runs in a conference game this year, and the La Salle University Baseball team won its first Atlantic 10 contest of the season, while ending its 10-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over Saint Louis at The Billikens Sports Complex, Sunday.
Fuqua went the distance for the third time this season, but it was his first nine-inning complete game of the year and he was two outs away from his second shutout of the season. Only five Explorers - and no freshman - have ever thrown at least two shutouts in the same season - the last was Will Fleck, who threw two during the 1997 season.
La Salle's offense, which had been averaging less than four runs per game during conference contests, put eight runs on the board - the most since a 15-10 loss to Richmond, March 21. In the other seven games, they never scored more than four.
The victory ended the longest losing streak for the Explorers since an 11-gamer during the 2005 season (May 6-20). That streak also included eight straight conference defeats, matching the current streak that was ended with this win.
La Salle put its first run on the board in the first with back-to-back two-out hits. John Rickards smacked his 32nd career double - now 10th on the all-time career list in that category - to center and came around to score on TJ Chism's single.
It was the same pair in the third that gave the Explorers a 2-0 lead. Again, after two outs, Rickards drew a walk, stole second, and scored on another Chism single.
Saint Louis looked like it was going to respond with a two-out rally of its own in the bottom of the frame as they loaded the bases. However, Fuqua got Tom Pinnell to ground out to third to end the threat.
The Explorers tacked on three more in the top of the fifth as the first five batters reached base. John Malloy, who has reached base in all 26 games he has played this season, singled through the right side to start the rally.
That was followed by a Justin Handler double down the left-field line and Rickards was intentionally walked to load the bases. Chism drove in his third run of the game after being hit by a pitch and Kevin Jones made it 5-0 with a two-RBI single.
La Salle added a single run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to increase its lead to 8-0. Malloy singled to left-center to score Shane Frangiosa, and then Brian Meagher - who saw his eight-game hitting streak come to an end on Saturday - doubled home Jones and scored on a fielding error on a ball hit by Frangiosa.
Meanwhile, Fuqua was cruising through the first six innings. Minus the third, he allowed just two base runners in the other five frames, while striking out seven.
In the bottom of the seventh, Saint Louis got its first two batters on base - for the first time in the game - on a walk and a hit batter. However, Fuqua battled out of the jam without allowing a run, getting the final out on a grounder to third by pinch-hitter BJ Rodrigue.
Saint Louis (13-14, 4-5 A-10) avoided being shutout for the first time this season, and for the first time at home in more than a year - March 31, 2007 versus Xavier (3-0) - as they scored one run in the bottom of the ninth.
Back-to-back singles to lead off the game, followed by a ground out to the pitcher, put Billikens on second and third. Fuqua got Rodrigue to ground to short, scoring their only run of the game, but got Ziggy Moore swinging to end the game.
Fuqua improves to 3-5 on the season with the victory, as he struck out eight batters. Zach Outman took the loss and is now 2-4 this year.
The Explorers had 14 hits in the contest as six of them registered a multi-hit game, led by Jones, who had three, while Malloy, Handler, Chism, Meagher, and Mike Canfarotta each had two.
La Salle (5-25, 1-8 A-10) will stay on the road for its next game and its next A-10 series. They will face Lehigh on Tuesday at 3:30 PM, and then will travel to Pittsburgh to battle Duquesne next weekend.
