May 10, 2008
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - For the first time in Atlantic 10 Conference history, the La Salle University Baseball team put double figure runs on the board in back-to-back games and came out victorious, as they defeated George Washington, 14-13 and 12-5, on Saturday at Hank DeVincent Field.
The doubleheader sweep is the first for La Salle since defeating Ball State last year (Feb. 17 - 4-2 and 11-5), but the first in A-10 play since 2005, when the Explorers took a pair versus Fordham (March 26 - 6-1 and 10-0). Between the two conference doubleheader wins - a span of 13 - La Salle split five and lost both games eight times.
Putting at least 10 runs on the board in both games, it marked only the second time in A-10 history that the Explorers did so, but the first time they won the games. In 2000, La Salle lost 21-12 and 13-10 on April 1 and 2 to Saint Joseph's.
In the 16 innings, every La Salle batter with at least two at-bats contributed to the offense, led by John Rickards, who had five hits, including three doubles and a grand slam inside-the-park home run, scored three times and drove in six.
Justin Handler scored six runs on the day, while Mike Dertouzos also had five hits, scored three times and drove in another three.
The Explorers jumped out early in Game 1, as they scored in five of the first six innings to get out on George Washington, 10-1. John Malloy, Handler, Kevin Jones - who also hit a solo home run - and Brian Meagher all scored twice in the span.
Meanwhile, La Salle starter Sean Kennedy was cruising with the run support, allowing just an RBI double in the third, but ran into trouble in the seventh. The Colonials mounted a two-out rally, the big hit a two-RBI single by Sean Rockey to pull them within 10-4.
The Explorers responded with four of their own in the bottom of the frame as Dertouzos singled home one, Kevin Prendergast doubled home two, and Meagher drove in another and La Salle looked comfortably ahead, 14-4.
However, George Washington would put three more on the board in the eighth, then added six more in the ninth to pull to within one. With runners on first and second and still ahead 14-11, La Salle would call for its third reliever in two innings.
Kevin Fuqua came in and was greeted with a two-RBI double by Doug Eizen putting the tying run on second base. But Fuqua got Rockey swinging for the final out to save his third game of the season.
Kennedy, who went 7.2 innings, allowed seven runs, and struck out three, improved to 4-2 this season with the win, and is now 3-0 in A-10 contests.
Pat Lehman took the loss for George Washington after going five innings, allowing eight earned runs and striking out seven and is now 6-4 this year.
In Game 2, George Washington (24-26, 10-13 A-10) took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Curtis Eward, but it was short-lived as La Salle plated four in the bottom of the third.
TJ Chism, Meagher and Zack Feierstein all drove in single runs in the frame as the Explorers sent 10 men to plate, but left the bags packed when Colonial starter Chris Neary struck out the final two batters to end the inning.
Trailing 5-1, the Colonials cut their deficit to one with three in the top of the fifth with Brendon Kelliher driving in a pair with a double to left.
They tied the game in the sixth on Eizen's solo home run, and after Tom Zebroski followed with a double, La Salle made a call to its pen. Christian Schulz came in to relieve starter Drew Gerhart and walked the first batter he faced.
But the next batter, Andrew Abokhair grounded into the first of three double plays La Salle turned behind Schulz to end the threat.
After the Explorers took a two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth - an RBI double by Rickards and then he came around to score on a double steal - he put La Salle up six an inning later.
Feierstein led off with a double and after an out, George Washington reliever Ryan LaPointe walked the next two batters to load the bases. Rickards then lined a 3-2 pitch into centerfield, a ball that went all the way to the fence, and raced around for the rare grand slam inside-the-park home run.
Dertouzos added a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to give La Salle a seven-run lead - the same advantage they had entering the ninth in Game 1, but their was no come-back effort this time for GW.
La Salle (14-34, 9-14 A-10) turned its 44th double play of the season - the most since they turned 46 during the 1999 season - and then Schulz got the final out on a grounder to short to end the day.
Schulz won the game, improving to 2-2 in 2008 as he threw 3.2 scoreless innings of relief with two strikeouts. Chris Henry suffered the loss and is now 2-6 this year.
With the five RBI in Game 2, Rickards becomes the first player since Rich Prall (April 14, 2006, versus Massachusetts) to knock in at least five in one contest.
The two teams will complete the A-10 series with a 4 PM start on Sunday as La Salle goes for its first three-game sweep in conference play since May 2006.
