March 30, 2005
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - La Salle scored three runs in the fifth inning to take the lead, and added a pair of insurance scores in the top of the ninth inning to hand Lafayette baseball a 9-6 loss on Wednesday at the Class of 1978 Stadium.
The day started off well for the Leopards (9-11), as the bats were ready to go in the bottom of the first. With two outs and runners on second and third, senior captain Adam Bucci pulled a single through the right side of the infield to score James Conrad (walk) and Rob Fioretti (hit by pitch). The Leopards took a 3-0 lead later in the inning when a single from Frank Cortazar moved Bucci to third, allowing Dave Drechsel to plate him with a base knock to right.
The Leopard advantage was short-lived, however. The Explorers struck back for three runs in the top of the second all coming on John Vicent's three-run home run that tied the game 3-3.
In the bottom half of the second, Lafayette re-took the lead on Fioretti's RBI-ground out. The Leopards' fifth run of the game came later in the inning and was of the dramatic variety. Conrad used his large lead at third base and a low pitch by La Salle pitcher Jamie Cowan to steal home and give Lafayette a 5-3 lead.
La Salle (7-13) broke the game open the game with three runs off Brian Cope in the visitor fifth. Cope did not help himself, hitting the first two batters of the inning before walking a third. Chris Boucher drove in a run on a sac fly and George Hudock plated two more with a double that landed just inside the leftfield line and put the Explorers ahead 7-5.
In the seventh, Bucci struck again, this time with a one-out solo shot to right that cut the La Salle lead to 7-6. The round-tripper off Cowan was Bucci's third of the season.
La Salle pulled away in the ninth, scoring two runs off Lafayette reliever Kevin Reese. Ryan Parfit (double) and Billy Kern (single) each drove in runs.
Cope (0-3) took the loss for the Leopards, throwing 1.2 innings while allowing three runs on just one hit. Lafayette starter Ted Gjeldum tossed three innings, surrendering four runs (3 earned) on two hits. Tom Phelan worked 2.1 innings, did not allow a run and struck out four. For La Salle, Cowan (1-0) claimed the victory, tossing 4.2 innings with two runs on four hits. Gerard Breslin threw the eighth and ninth frames to collect his fourth save of the season.
Lafayette will travel to Wagner on Thursday for a 3 p.m. game before returning home this weekend to open Patriot League play with Holy Cross.
