April 19, 2006
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - After spotting La Salle five runs in the first inning, Lafayette battled back to tie the game in the sixth. The Leopards could not hold on, however, as La Salle plated an unearned run in the top of the eighth to claim an 8-7 decision in non-conference baseball action on Wednesday at the Class of 1978 Stadium.
The Explorers (14-21) got to Lafayette starter Brian Cope for five runs (four earned). Cope, who was making his first start in nearly a month, surrendered a bases-loaded double to Billy Kern that cleared the bases. La Salle added two more runs on an error and a Justin Handler single to take the 5-0 lead. Cope gave up three hits, walked one and struck out two in a no-decision.
The Leopards (17-18) began to chip away at the lead in the second inning. A two-out single by James Conrad got things started. Conrad was balked to second and later scored when Daniel Bierce slapped a single to right to make it 5-1. La Salle immediately took that run back in the top of the third, scoring on error to lead 5-2.
Lafayette sliced another run off the lead in the fourth inning. Kevin Leasure led off with a single and later scored on Chris Luick's RBI-groundout.
Lafayette put a five-spot on the board in the fifth inning to take a 7-6 lead. With the bases loaded and two outs, designated hitter Nick Benvenuto (3-for-5) stroked a single to center to score two runs. One of Luick's two walks on the afternoon loaded the bases again, and Conrad came through with an infield single. La Salle second baseman John Rickards came up with the ball on a diving catch, but then overthrew second base and allowed another run to score and tie the game at 6-6.
After La Salle replaced starter Drew Gerhart with Jamie Cowan to quell the rally, it was Dave Drechsel's turn. The junior catcher handed Lafayette its first lead of the game, placing a ball through the left side of the infield to scored Luick for the one-run lead.
The Explorers tied the game in the sixth on Rich Prall's RBI-double off Lafayette reliever Nick Tucker.
After doling out a lead-off walk, Tucker was lifted for Steve Roberts who came on to pitch a scoreless seventh inning thanks to an inning-ending 4-6-3 doubleplay turned by Bierce and Ian Law. In the bottom of the inning, the Leopards had runners on second and third with two outs. Pinch hitter Joe Ezekiel hit a 1-2 pitch up the middle of the diamond, but Justin Handler fielded the ball cleanly and retired Ezekiel at first.
Three errors by the Lafayette defense led to the game-winning run for La Salle in the eighth. Two baserunners reached on consecutive errors and the final error of the inning on the relay throw on a doubleplay ball allowed Dennis Burge to give La Salle an 8-7 lead.
The Leopards had one last opportunity in the ninth against La Salle closer Gerard Breslin. Luick led off with a walk and promptly stole second on a failed sacrifice bunt attempt, but was left stranded as Breslin got Conrad and Drechsel to strike out before ending the game with a Tyler Zeronda groundout.
Roberts (2-3) was tagged with the loss, despite not giving up a hit in two innings of work. Cowan (2-2) who threw parts of four innings earned the victory. Breslin collected his fourth save of the season.
Lafayette had 14 hits to La Salle's eight, but the Leopards committed an uncharacteristic seven errors which resulted in three unearned runs.
The Leopards returns to action on Saturday when they travel to Lehigh for a four-game series with first place in the Patriot League standings on the line. First pitch is scheduled for noon in Bethlehem, Pa.
