March 29, 2008

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle University Baseball team out-hit 23rd-ranked Charlotte 10-9 and had more batters reach base (15-12), however the Explorers left 13 runners on as the 49ers defeated them, 6-3, on Saturday afternoon in Atlantic 10 action at Hank DeVincent Field.

The Explorers - who have turned 10 double plays in their last seven games - wasted no time in getting number nine. After allowing a lead-off single, La Salle pitcher Kevin Fuqua started it with a throw to second on a grounder back to the mound.

It was needed, because the next batter Brad McElroy hit his fifth home run of the season with a solo shot to right center to give the 49ers a 1-0 lead.

La Salle - which had at least one base runner in all but the eighth inning - was able to tie the game in the bottom of the second thanks to an RBI from Zack Feierstein.

The inning started with a TJ Chism walk followed by a hit-and-run single to right by Mike Dertouzos, which put Chism on third. Feierstein then hit a one-out single through the left side.

Two batters later, Rick Gehman drew a walk to load the bases, but as he did in the fourth inning as well, Charlotte starter Andrew Smith got out of a bases loaded jam with a ground-ball out.

Charlotte (20-3, 5-0 A-10) would tack on a run in the fifth and sixth innings - one on a sacrifice fly by Shayne Moody and the other an RBI single by Corey Shaylor.

The Explorers responded in the bottom of the frame when Mike Canfarotta led off with a triple to right center. The next batter - Gehman - lofted a ball into left field, deep enough for a sacrifice fly opportunity.

However, Alan Parks lost the ball in the sun, allowing Gehman to get to second and Canfarotta to score, which pulled La Salle to within 3-2.

A sacrifice bunt advanced Gehman to third with one out, which forced Charlotte to go to its bullpen. They called upon lefty Luke Stahl to pitch to lefty John Malloy and got him swinging, as well as the next batter John Rickards.

The 49ers increased their lead to 6-2 with three in the seventh, as an error in the outfield resulted in two unearned runs, which scored on Parks' single through a drawn-in infield.

In the eighth, Fuqua - who went seven innings, struck out three, and allowed three earned runs - was relieved by Shane Frangiosa. He finished the game by throwing two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit and struck out one.

Meanwhile, Stahl allowed just one hit to the first nine batters he faced - including the only perfect inning thrown by a 49er pitcher, in the eighth. However in the ninth, a pair of passed balls moved Rickards to third and Chism's RBI single gave La Salle its third run.

Sam Pierce came in to close out the game for Charlotte and got a pair of ground balls to end the contest, picking up his second save of the year. Smith registered the win and is now 4-1, while Fuqua dropped to 2-4 for the season.

La Salle (4-21, 0-5 A-10) will finish its three-game series with Charlotte on Sunday with a game starting at 11:30 AM.