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RICHMOND, Va. – The La Salle baseball team scored three runs in the eighth and put two men aboard in the ninth but was unable to complete the comeback in a 4-3 loss to VCU on Easter Sunday at the Diamond. The Rams improved to 28-9, 9-4 A-10 while the Explorers dipped to 11-24, 6-7.

The home team tagged La Salle starter Shawn O'Neill (L, 4-6) for four runs and 11 hits in 5.2 innings. O'Neill handed the ball to Tom Fazzini, who tossed 1.1 scoreless innings before Adam Cherry threw a scoreless eighth to keep the ballgame within striking distance.

Derek Prucnal (1-4, R) and Nick Tierno (2-4, R) each singled with one out in the bottom of the eighth, which sent VCU starter JoJo Howie (W, 4-2) to the showers. Kevin Baron (0-2, R, 2 BB) worked a walk before George Smith Jr (0-4, RBI) picked up an RBI groundout to put the Blue & Gold on the board. Justin Korenblatt (1-4, 2 RBI) then smacked a two RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-3.

The Explorers looked poised for a rally in the ninth, as Joey Ravert (1-4) smacked a two out single before Prucnal reached on an error. Tierno lined out to the shortstop to end the game, leaving the tying run on second base.

La Salle will face Big 5 and A-10 rival Saint Joseph's four times this week, starting with the Liberty Bell Classic championship game at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.

NOTES: Baron extended his reached base streak to 12 consecutive games, the longest current streak on the club...Prucnal made his first start of the year in left field on Sunday