May 3, 2009
Box Score
CHARLOTTE, NC - Drew Gerhart closed the door on a wild ninth inning to pick up his first career save as La Salle Baseball defeated Charlotte on Sunday afternoon, 8-7, at Hayes Stadium in the final game of the Atlantic 10 Conference series.
With the game tied at 3-all entering the final stanza, the Explorers plated five runs in the top half only to see the 49ers answer with four of their own and, with two out, had the tying run on first base.
Gerhart came in to face Grant Bomann and struck him out on three pitches to give the Explorers their first-ever win over Charlotte and, if not for some late-game heroics by the 49ers in Saturday's contest, La Salle could have taken the series.
For the second consecutive game, La Salle was able to jump out to an early lead and chase the Charlotte starter - this time Keith Moreland - from the game.
Tony Negrin opened the contest with a single, which was followed by a one-out single to right by John Malloy. Chism then launched his 10th home run of the season to put the Explorers on top 3-0.
In the second, Jeff Flax was hit by a pitch and Brian Meagher singled to put runners on first and second with one out, prompting Charlotte to bring in some relief.
As it had done a day before (8.2 IP/3 H/3 BB/1 R), the 49er bullpen was able to shut down the Explorer offense, as their pitchers held La Salle scoreless for seven innings.
Meanwhile, Charlotte's offense - again as they did on Saturday - chipped away at its deficit, getting single runs in the second, sixth and seventh innings to tie the game at 3-3.
Sean Kennedy, the Explorer starter who was looking to improve to 5-0 this year, went six innings, allowed six hits, struck out two and allowed two earned runs.
He left the game with the Explorers clinging to a 3-2 lead, but reliever Christian Schulz surrendered an unearned run in the seventh, before pitching a scoreless eighth - despite some trouble. The first two batters reached base, but a double play and a strikeout ended the threat.
La Salle finally broke through on the 49ers pen, as Flax doubled down the left-field line to score Jon Gyles, who doubled to lead off the ninth.
The Explorers then capitalized on Charlotte's only error of the game, plating four more runs, as Flax scored on a sacrifice bunt by Meagher, Malloy drove in a pair with a double and Chism plated one more with a single to push the La Salle advantage to 8-3.
Charlotte (28-17, 12-9 A-10) would not go quietly, as Zane Williams cut the deficit to 8-6 with a two-out three-run home run over the left-center field fence.
After a pitching change, the 49er hero from Saturday Rob Lyerly - who hit a two-out two-run walk-off home run - doubled and scored on Ryan Rivers' RBI single through the left side.
However, he would not get a chance to score as Gerhart came in to finish off the game and get the save. Schulz improved to 3-2 with the win and Sam Pierce fell to 2-3 with the loss.
La Salle (18-24, 7-13 A-10) is off for a week before heading back out on the road to take on second-place Dayton in a three-game A-10 series starting Saturday at 3 PM.
Of note some historical accomplishments for a pair of Explorers in the victory:
John Malloy - moved into the top 10 all-time in hits in a career with 193, and is now tied for fourth in doubles (44). He is seven total bases shy of the career top 10, while five shy for a single season. Also in a single season at La Salle, his 18 doubles is tied for second - five shy of the leader - and seven hits shy of the top 10.
TJ Chism - is now tied for 10th all-time in a single season for runs scored with 44, tied for fourth in home runs hit (10) and seventh in RBI (46). Brian Oakes (`03) is the last Explorer to hit at least 10 home runs in a single season (12), and Mike Fuchs (`99) is the last one to produce more than 45 RBI. In fact, Fuchs is the last Explorer to have at least 45 runs and 45 RBI in a single season and no La Salle player as gone for 50 and 50 as a member of the A-10.
