May 6, 2007

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - A pinch-hit single in the bottom of the eighth gave homestanding La Salle a 4-3 comeback win over Dayton on Sunday. With the loss, UD falls to 18-28 overall and 7-14 in conference play.

Sophomore Sean Finn had a strong start for the Flyers allowing just two earned runs on eight hits over 7.1 innings pitched. He struck out four and walked only one before being relived by Phil Ernst who recorded the final two outs for Dayton.

UD was out hit 8-5 and was victimized by three errors in the field. Michael Massa singled twice and collected his 61st career stolen base to move into a tie for first place all-time at Dayton.

Joe McSoley finished with a RBI single and a run scored while Bobby Getty added a double and a run scored for the Flyers which fell to 5-10 in one-run games this season.

La Salle engineered a run in the bottom of the sixth to open the scoring. After a one out single, John Rickards was nearly picked off by Sean Finn but as the runner broke for second a realy throw ended up in the outfield to put Rickards on third base. He then scored on a two-out throwing error to go ahead, 1-0.

Dayton answered back in the top of the seventh beginning with a double off the wall in left field to open the inning. He then beat out a throw to third following a fielder's choice ground ball to the LU second baseman to put runners at the corners with no outs. Joe McSoley evened the score on a looping RBI single to centerfield that advanced Jeff Mercer to second base. Myles Swartzel followed with a bunt to the third baseman that retired Mercer at third. On the next at bat, McSoley and Swartzel moved up to third and second base respectively on a wild pitch. Following the miscue, La Salle intentionally walked Shawn Gizynski to load the bases for Frank Tedesco. Tedesco hit what would have been an inning-ending double play ball to the shortstop. After Gizynski was retired at second, the throw went wide of first base and two Flyer runs scored to give Dayton a 3-1 lead.

The Explorers stormed back with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. After Rich Prall singled with the bases loaded to drive in an unearned run, Matt Burns followed with a one-out pinch hit singled that gave La Salle a 4-3 victory.