May 4, 2008
Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score
ST. BONAVENTURE, NY - The La Salle University Baseball team split the first two games of the three-game Atlantic 10 Conference series with St. Bonaventure - taking the first game, 6-1, but dropping the second, 7-6 - Sunday at Fred Handler Park.
A strong pitching performance from freshman Sean Kennedy helped the Explorers to the game one victory, and La Salle fought back from a five-run deficit in the second game to tie it in the top of the ninth, but the Bonnies got the game-winner to register the split which keeps them in the sixth spot in the A-10 standings.
In the first game, a two-out bases-loaded double by Mike Dertouzos scored both John Malloy and John Rickards, who each reached base with a walk, to give the Explorers an early 2-0 lead.
That would be all the run support freshman Kennedy would need as he threw his first complete game of the season. He allowed just one run, scattered eight hits, walked three and struck out one as he picked up his third win in his last four appearances and is now 3-2.
In his last two starts - last week versus Rhode Island and Sunday - he is 2-0, has thrown a total of 16 innings, allowed just three earned runs for a 2.25 ERA, and has allowed just three extra base hits.
In the second inning, he surrendered his only one in this game as Brandon Salerno led off the frame with a double to center, then came around to score on an RBI grounder to short by Josh Sova.
Over the next seven innings, Kennedy allowed four hits, two of which were erased on double plays - in the fifth and sixth innings - and registered his only strikeout of the day on the second out in the ninth.
In the La Salle fifth, the Explorers increased their lead with four runs in the frame. Malloy led off with a solo home run to right center, and Kevin Jones, Brian Meagher, and Mike Canfarotta each picked up an RBI in the inning.
Saint Bonaventure's Matt Stewart took the loss and is now 2-4 this season. He went just four innings, allowed all six runs and was hurt by walks - he allowed five, three of which crossed the plate.
In the second game, an error hurt the Explorers, as the Bonnies jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the third inning.
The Explorers took a 1-0 lead in the second on Jones' third home run of the season, but Randy Moley tied it with an RBI double in the bottom of the frame.
In the third, a costly error which would have ended the frame with just a sacrifice fly scoring one, turned into a four-run inning, the damage done by Brad Steinbach, with a two-RBI single.
Saint Bonaventure (23-20, 10-10 A-10) would take a 6-1 lead after Kevin Suminski, who was 4-for-4 in the second game with three runs scored, tripled and scored two batters later on a Jesse Bosnik sacrifice fly, his second RBI of the game, in the fifth.
La Salle (12-32, 7-13 A-10) mounted a comeback in the sixth, as Malloy walked to lead off the inning and Justin Handler followed with a single to right center. Rickards then launched his 23rd career home run to center field to plate three and bring the Explorers to within two.
TJ Chism and Jones continued the rally with back-to-back singles and Dertouzos moved them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt for the first out of the inning. Meagher was intentionally walked to load the bases before Zack Feierstein pulled off a squeeze play to score Chism and cut the lead to one at 6-5.
Cody Vincent, who went the distance for the Bonnies in the second game, took that one-run lead into the ninth, but the Explorers were able to tie it up with an unearned run - RJ Hollinshead singled and later scored.
However, St. Bonaventure pulled out the win in the bottom of the frame, when with two out; Moley drew a bases loaded walk for the victory.
Vincent improved to 4-5 with the victory after going all nine, allowing eight hits, six runs, five earned, four walks and striking out six. Drew Gerhart went seven innings for La Salle, allowing 10 hits, six runs, three earned, and also walked four and struck out six. Shane Frangiosa took the loss and is 0-2 this season.
The teams will conclude their three-game series with a rare Monday conference game which will start at 2 PM. La Salle will be looking to win its third straight A-10 series for the first time ever in the conference.
Last week, when the Explorers took two-of-three from Rhode Island, it marked only the sixth time in their 13-year history in the league they won back-to-back series.
For the Bonnies, they are just a half game up in the A-10 standings, currently sitting in the sixth spot at 10-10. However, Dayton, Fordham, and George Washington all sit at 10-11 and are in a tie for seventh.
