Box Score

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - The La Salle baseball team was unable to hold a ninth-inning lead and fell to Gardner Webb 6-5 on Saturday afternoon at Billy Masters Field. 

The Explorers (2-2) got off to a hot start and scored the first five runs of the contest.  Brendan Norton had the big blow in the game with a bases-clearing three-run double in the fourth that gave La Salle a 5-0 edge. Norton finished the day 3-for-4 with three RBI. 

Kevin Christy kept the Gardner Webb offense in check through six innings and allowed two earned runs off six hits with eight strikeouts in his second straight no decision. 

Lefty reliever Ryan Donahue came on to relieve Christy in the seventh and allowed two runs off three hits before giving way to closer Pat Christensen with two outs in the inning.

Christensen finished off the seventh and pitched a scoreless eighth before allowing two runs in the ninth, one of them unearned, sinking the Explorers in the middle game of the series. 

Dan Klem continued his strong series with two more hits and two runs scored.  Klem is now 5-for-9 with three RBI and four runs scored in two games this weekend. 

La Salle will play the rubber match of the three-game series against the Runnin' Bulldogs at 1 p.m. on Sunday.