March 21, 2009

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle University Baseball dropped its second straight Atlantic 10 Conference game - this time in extra innings - as Saint Joseph's registered the 5-4 come-back win on Saturday at Hank DeVincent Field.

In a game that mirrored Friday's contest, it was the Hawks that scored a first-inning run and the Explorers who mounted a late-inning charge.

Kevin Fuqua allowed one run in the first, then held Saint Joseph's scoreless over the next six innings to keep it a 1-0 game.

La Salle, which was facing its third pitcher of the afternoon, finally broke through for four runs in the seventh, sending nine men to the plate.

John Malloy, who had a team-high two hits, drove in the first run. Then Marc Schoch knocked in a pair and Jon Gyles followed with an RBI single to put the home squad up three.

However, the Explorers could not hold the lead as Saint Joseph's put one on the scoreboard in the eighth and two in the ninth to send the contest into extra innings.

That meant that for the fourth straight game between the two schools, the winning team would score the deciding run in its last at-bat. The Explorers won twice in their final at-bat in the final two games last season, and the Hawks scored the game-winner in the top of the ninth on Friday.

Saint Joseph's (6-10-1, 2-0 A-10) registered three straight hits in the top of the 11th - the final by Joe Cook, which scored Ben Wendle with the go-ahead run.

The Explorers had just five hits, but drew nine walks on the day. But they ended up leaving 12 men on base, including two in the bottom of the ninth with just one out.

La Salle (8-8, 0-2 A-10) will complete the three-game series with the Hawks on Sunday with first pitch at 12 PM.