May 1, 2009

Box Score

CHARLOTTE, NC - In the first game of the three-game Atlantic 10 series at Hayes Stadium, Charlotte used three home runs to power past La Salle Baseball, 8-2, on Friday night.

Tony Negrin had three hits to lead the Explorers, adding a pair of stolen bases, and an RBI, while the 49ers used a late eighth-inning rally to put the game away.

In the third, Charlotte opened the scoring on a Corey Shaylor lead-off solo home run, and Cory Tilton followed with a triple down the left-field line.

That ended the night of La Salle starter Zach Huff, who battled out of a bases loaded one-out jam in the second by getting Justin Wilson to ground into Charlotte's second double play in two innings.

Kevin Christy allowed just Tilton to score on a ground ball and finished off the frame with the Explorers trailing just 2-0.

Aided by a pair of errors, La Salle tied the game in the fourth, with Brian Meagher bringing in Marc Schoch for the first run and Negrin plating Zack Feierstein with a two-out single to right.

Charlotte (27-16, 11-8 A-10) took its lead back in the bottom of the frame on a Wilson two-out solo home run, which was preceded by the Explorers' third double play of the evening.

The 49ers broke the game open in the bottom of the eighth with five runs, highlighted by a two-run homer by Rob Lyerly and a two-out, two-RBI single by Shaylor.

Joe Yermal won the game for Charlotte improving to 7-2, as he went eight innings, allowed seven hits and struck out four. Christy dropped to 2-2 with the loss.

La Salle (17-23, 6-12 A-10) will continue its three-game A-10 series with the 49ers on Saturday with a 2 PM start.