March 28, 2007

Box Score

BETHLEHEM, PA - In one of the strangest endings to a baseball game a person could see, the La Salle University Baseball team dropped a 3-2 decision to the host Lehigh Mountain Hawks at Goodman Campus Stadium in the first round of the Liberty Bell Classic.

Tied in the bottom of the 10th inning, Lehigh's Joe Ercolano led off the frame by being hit by a pitch, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He then stole third before La Salle got the second out of the inning with a strike out.

With the left-handed hitting Matt Reitz at the plate, the Explorers decided to intentionally walk him. However, on the fourth pitch to the plate, the throw sailed high and went to the back stop. Ercolano scored on the miscue and won the game for the Mountain Hawks.

La Salle (7-12) scored its only two runs of the day in the first inning, as John Malloy and Billy Kern led off the game with back-to-back singles. After an out, John Rickards loaded the bases by getting hit by a pitch.

Davis Hewett scored Malloy after beating out a potential double-play ball and Rich Prall crossed the plate on the next play, an error by the first baseman. In the next two innings, the Explorers were able to get base runners on again, but double plays in each frame ended any threat.

Jamie Cowan pitched a strong three innings, striking out five batters and allowing just one base runner - a walk - in the second inning. However, in the fourth, Liam O'Conner registered the first Lehigh hit of the game, followed by a walk and then back-to-back RBI-singles by Reitz and Dan Clauson.

One strike out later - Cowan's sixth of the game - was followed by his third free pass of the game, which brought Dennis Burge in for relief. This time, the Explorers benefited from the twin killing, as Burge forced Geoff Campbell into a 643 double play.

The teams' bullpens then held the offenses in check the rest of the way, as La Salle relief pitchers Burge (1.2 IP, 1 K), Brian Kern (2.1 IP), TJ Chism (1.2 IP, 4 K), and Joe Vincent (0.2 IP, 1 K) allowed just one hit after the fourth inning, but the costly run in the 10th.

Lehigh (9-9-1) also used four pitchers in relief and they were able to shut out the Explorers the rest of the day, allowing four hits after the second inning and no walks, while getting five strike outs. Greg Mortka improved his record to 3-1 after pitching the final two innings of the game, while Vincent (0-1) lost his first game of the season.

La Salle returns to action this weekend for a three-game Atlantic 10 series with Temple at Hank DeVincent Field, with a 3 PM start on Friday, 1 PM on Saturday, and 12 PM on Sunday.