La Salle Drops Rubber Match, 4-2, at Saint Bonaventure
May 5, 2008
ST. BONAVENTURE, NY - La Salle University Baseball had a chance to do something the team had never done before since joining the Atlantic 10 Conference - win three straight A-10 series. However, they came up short on Monday at The win was a historic one for the Bonnies, as it was Head Coach Larry Sudbrook's 500th career win at the school in his 23rd season at the helm. Saint Bonaventure put the first run on the board in the second inning, when - with two outs - Brandon Salerno scored Josh Sova on a squeeze play. La Salle had a golden opportunity to tie the game in the top of the third, as Brian Meagher and Zack Feierstein drew back-to-back walks and moved into scoring position on a Shane Frangiosa sacrifice bunt. However, the Bonnies starter Michael Proctor was able to get out of the jam with a short fly to center and a groundout to end the threat.
Explorer starter Kevin Fuqua ran into his own bit of trouble in the bottom half of the frame, after hitting Sova to load the bases with two outs. But he recorded one of his five strikeouts on the afternoon to end the inning. In the fourth, John Rickards led off with his 17th career triple and scored when TJ Chism reached on a fielder's choice, as the Bonnies tried to get the play at the plate. It was short-lived, as the Bonnies struck for a pair in the bottom of the frame - In the eighth, Rickards drew a one-out walk before Proctor got the second out of the inning. However, Cory Sudbrook was called in from the pen to face Jones, who singled to left field. He then uncorked a wild pitch and the base runners moved into scoring position. But he got a foul out to end another Explorer scoring threat. Saint Bonaventure (24-20, 11-10) now remains one game up for the sixth spot in the A-10 Standings, as Proctor picked up the win and is 5-3 this season. Sudbrook, the son of the head coach, registered his first save of the year and recorded the final out for his dad's historic victory. Fuqua (4-8) went the distance for the Explorers for his fifth complete game of the season - only two other When Rickards singled in the first, it was his 200th career hit - marking just the sixth Explorer to ever reach the milestone. His triple was the sixth of the season - only Sam Boone (1985) has ever hit more in one season. La Salle (12-33, 7-14 A-10) will return to action Wednesday when they travel to |
