Box Score

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Six errors by Gardner Webb and some timely La Salle hitting lifted the Explorers to an 11-3 victory in the series opener on Friday afternoon at Billy Masters Field. 

The Explorers (2-1) drew first blood in the second after a walk and an error put runners on the corners with nobody out.  Zack Feierstein pushed one across with an RBI fielder's choice then Dan Klem had the big blow, a two-run double that put La Salle up 3-0. The next batter, George Smith, reached on another Runnin' Bulldog error that scored Klem and gave the Explorers a 4-0 edge. 

Another error in the fourth led to a Jeff Flax RBI single and pushed the lead to half a dozen. 

La Salle tacked on in the sixth, when Brendan Norton collected his first RBI of the season wth a single through the middle that scored Smith and put La Salle up 7-0.

Gardner Webb finally got on the board against starting pitcher Eric Van Wyk in the bottom of the sixth when Dusty Quattlebaum led off the frame with a solo blast.  It was the first home run allowed by La Salle this season and made the score 7-1.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (3-2) pushed across runs in the sixth on an RBI groundout and in the seventh with an unearned run off an Explorer throwing error.  

In the seventh, Feierstein and Klem each recorded RBI to answer the Gardner Webb rally and put La Salle in command 9-2. Klem finished the game 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Feierstein also added two hits, two runs scored and an RBI. 

Freshman LHP Derek Prucnal ended a Gardner Webb rally in the seventh and induced an inning-ending double play in his La Salle debut.  Sophomore RHP Mike McLeod also made his debut in Blue and Gold and pitched two scoreless innings to close it out.

In the ninth, the flood gates opened for La Salle as Jeff Flax knocked home two more runs with an RBI double and stretched the scorline to 11-3. Flax went 2-for-6 with three RBI in the game.

The two squads will continue their three-game set on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 1 pm. RHP Kevin Christy (0-0, 1.80) will take the hill for the Explorers.