Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle rallied in the eighth and ninth innings but dropped the series opener to Saint Louis on Friday afternoon, 5-2, at Hank DeVincent Field. Senior Marc Schoch and freshman Justin Korenblatt each had two hits for La Salle.

Trailing 5-0, the Explorers tried to fight back in the eighth. Senior Jon Gyles doubled with one out and after a flyout, back-to-back walks to senior Brendan Norton and senior Jeff Flax loaded the bases.

Junior Dan Klem came up big with a two-run single through the left side that made it 5-2.

After a scoreless ninth inning from junior Shane Petrellis, La Salle (17-24, 4-9 A-10) led off the bottom of the inning with a Schoch double.

Closer Travis Parker induced a ground-out but a Korenblatt single and hit by pitch by Gyles loaded the bases with one out. With the tying run on first, Parker got a 4-3 double-play to end the game for his seventh save of the season.

Senior Eric Van Wyk settled down nicely after allowing five runs in the first two innings. He suffered the loss (3-6) despite striking out seven in eight innings.

In the first, a hit batter and bloop single put runners on first and second with nobody out. Alex Kelly then launched a home run to right to make it 3-0. In the second Mike Vigliarolo hit a two-run double with two outs to add to the lead.

But from that point on, Van Wyk was in control. He retired nine of the next 11 batters, with one of those hitters reaching base on an error.
Only one Billiken made it past first base and he was picked off in the seventh.

Kelly had two hits and three RBI to lead Saint Louis (27-14, 9-7 A-10). Clay Smith (6-2) earned the win, throwing eight innings and allowing two earned runs.

The series resumes on Saturday at 1 PM.