March 7, 2010
NORFOLK, Va. -- The LaSalle Explorers (1-5) thwarted the Baseball Monarchs taking the series sweep with an 8-6 victory over Old Dominion Sunday afternoon at the Bud Metheny Stadium.
The Monarchs fall to 8-5 on the year, while the Explorers pick up their first win of the 2010 season, improving to 1-5.
C.J. Huyett (Lawrenceville, Pa.) picked up the loss for the Monarchs going 5.0 innings and allowing six hits and six runs, while striking out three.
Cody Weiss earned the win for the visiting Explorers, tossing 5.0 innings and allowing seven hits, two earned runs and striking out two. Pat Christensen earned the save pitching the final 1.1 innings of play having come into the game with the bases loaded in the bottom of the eight. Christensen allowed just one hit and struck out three.
Both team scored in the first inning of play. LaSalle centerfielder John Malloy singled to second with two outs and reached second on stolen base setting up first baseman Jon Gyles to double and send him teammate home to open the game. In the bottom of the inning, second baseman Austin McGowan (Midlothian, Va.) rounded the bases following a passed ball by LaSalle catcher Marc Schoch.
LaSalle went up for good in the top of the second. Tony Negrin hit a fielder's choice to second base to score teammate Brian Meagher from third and give the Explorers a 2-1 lead.
LaSalle added three more runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead before Old Dominion would score again. In the bottom of the fifth, the Monarchs scored two runs as shortstop Chris Buss (Rosemount, Mn.) hit a two run single to left and cut the ODU deficit to 6-3.
However, the Explorers responded with another two runs in the top of the sixth to go ahead 8-3.
ODU pulled within two late in the game. In the seventh, catcher Edgar Hernandez (Luquillo, PR) used an RBI single to center and in the eighth the Monarchs loaded the bases and managing to score a pair of runs. With two outs, leftfielder Donnie Corsner (Va. Beach, Va.) walked with the bases loaded to score Kenny Stoneback (Colonial Heights, Va.) and Jake McAloose (Va. Beach, Va.) used a sac fly to center score designated hitter Brandon Shelton (Chesapeake, Va.).
Looking for another possible come from behind victory, the Monarchs headed into the bottom of ninth down two, 8-6. Buss doubled to left field, but Explorer reliever Pat Christensen struck out both Stoneback and Shelton to preserve the win for LaSalle.
Buss ended the day 2-for-5 having drove in a pair of runs, while McAloose rounded the bases twice and batted one run in.
The ODU Baseball Monarchs hit the road for their next six games. They return to the field on Tuesday, March 9th at Liberty. First pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m.