March 21, 2010

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - Jon Gyles drove in a career-high six runs, while John Malloy and Brendan Norton each had three hits and scored three runs to help lead La Salle Baseball to a 14-7 victory over Niagara, Sunday afternoon at Hank DeVincent Field as freshman Pat Christensen picked up his first win as an Explorer.

Gyles went 2-for-5 and singled home a pair of runs to start the Explorers offensive day. In all La Salle scored four first-inning runs, then tacked on three more in the second to jump out to a 7-1 advantage.

Niagara (4-16) chipped away at its deficit with the long ball as Ryan McCauley had a two-run shot in the third and Matt Wietlispach hit a solo shot in the fourth to pull to within 7-4.

Brian Meagher, who also scored three runs and drove in a pair, hit a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the fourth and Chris Umstead singled home Norton to push the La Salle lead to five.

Cody Weiss started the game for La Salle and went four innings. He allowed four runs on six hits and struck out six batters. Christensen (1-2) came in for relief and threw the last five innings, allowing three runs also on six hits and struck out eight Purple Eagles.

Leading 10-7 in the eighth, Gyles blasted the Explorers second grand slam of the season after Niagara intentionally walked Norton to load the bases all but putting the game away.

Ironically, TJ Chism was the last Explorer to strike out eight or more batters in a single game - on March 22, 2009 versus Saint Joseph's in six innings of work - and drive in six runs - on Feb. 28, 2009 at Morehead State in the second game of a doubleheader.

La Salle (3-13) will take Monday off before taking the road and playing at Coppin State on Tuesday with a 2:30 PM first pitch. The Explorers will then be home for eight straight, including their first two Atlantic 10 Conference series.