March 20, 2009

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle Baseball took a two-run lead after the first inning, but could not hold on as Saint Joseph's scored three unanswered - including an unearned run in the ninth - to take the Atlantic 10 Conference contest, 3-2, Friday afternoon at Hank DeVincent Field.

Jeff Flax had three hits and scored a run, while the Explorers outhit the Hawks 7-5. However, they left eight men on base, included the bases loaded in the first.

Flax singled to center to start off La Salle's first and was on third when John Malloy hit a short grounder to third. He came in to score as would Malloy on a Marc Schoch RBI double and with two out the Explorers drew back-to-back walks to load the bases.

Saint Joseph's starter Dominic Favazza ended the threat with a strikeout and would go on to throw seven scoreless innings as his team made a comeback.

Through seven innings, Drew Gerhart allowed just a Ryan McDonald RBI single, which scored Mike Coleman who got on base with a two-out double in the third.

In the eighth, the Hawks were able to knot the game at 2-2. With one away, Matt Barnathan doubled to left field, which had La Salle go to its bullpen.

McDonald singled off of reliever Christian Schulz putting runners on the corners and David Valesente knocked Barnathan in with a sac fly to right.

Schulz retired the first two batters in the top of the ninth before Mike Boyland was hit by a pitch. Then Joe Cook laid down a bunt which Schulz picked up and threw wide to first. Boyland raced around to bases to score and Cook was thrown out at third ending the inning.

Chris Hildreth picked up his second save of the year getting the final three outs of the contest, as Favazza improved to 1-1 with the win and Schulz dropped to 1-1 with the loss.

La Salle (8-7, 0-1 A-10) and Saint Joseph's (5-10-1, 1-0 A-10) will continue the three-game conference series with a game on Saturday at 1 PM.