April 17, 2010
Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - Chris Umstead hit a solo home run as part of a four-run second inning for La Salle Baseball. However, the Explorers could not hold on to its lead and succumbed to the visiting Temple Owls, 6-5, in the second game of a three-game Atlantic 10 series at Hank DeVincent Field, Saturday.
In all, Umstead, along with John Malloy, Tony Negrin and Brian Meagher, had two hits, while Negrin scored two runs and Meagher, Jeff Flax, and Marc Schoch each drove in one run.
In the second, Jon Gyles drew a lead-off walk and scored on Flax' triple to left field. Schoch plated Gyles just before Umstead hit his long ball over the right-field fence.
Up 3-0, Negrin hit an infield single and moved to third when Owl pitcher Matt Mongiardini threw wide of first. He then scored on a wild pitch, just before Malloy picked up his first hit of the day.
Temple (5-25, 2-9 A-10) used a one-out rally in the fourth to pull to within one at 4-3. Ryan Ferguson doubled, Rafael Cordero singled and Taylor Juran walked to load the bases before David Hall singled home two and Jabair Khan got the third home with a grounder.
The Explorers got one back in the bottom of the frame with a two-out three-straight single rally by Negrin, Malloy, and Meagher, which plated Negrin and put them up 5-3.
The advantage stood until the seventh, when Temple plated three more including an unearned run, which put the Owls on top.
Mongiardini lasted just 5.2 innings, allowed 10 hits, three walks, hit a batter, but gave up just five runs. The Owl bullpen combined on 3.1 innings, did not allow a hit or a run, and walked just one. Steve Visnic picked up the win, while Matt Blackburn earned the save.
Kevin Christy went 6.1 innings, allowed eight hits, walked five, hit two, struck out five and surrendered five earned runs. La Salle's pen went 2.2 innings, and allowed just two hits, no runs, but walked four. Christian Schulz went 1.2 with a strikeout and Joe Vincent went one also with a K.
On the historical end, Malloy's two hits ties him with Brian Schaller (1994-97) with 246 career hits which is fourth all-time at La Salle, while his 357 career total bases is fifth all-time.
La Salle (12-20, 7-4 A-10) will look to win its third conference series of 2010 when the two teams complete the A-10 series on Sunday at 12 PM.
