GAME 1 PDF BOX SCORE

               GAME 2 PDF BOX SCORE

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – A four-run 8th inning by the La Salle baseball team (23-23, 15-5 Atlantic 10 Conference) in the second game of a doubleheader propelled the Explorers to a sweep Friday over St. Bonaventure (17-25, 7-13 A-10) by scores of 7-3 and 6-4 in games one and two, respectively.

The Bonnies had just 10 hits over the course of the two games and committed five combined errors, leading to seven unearned runs for the Explorers, who set a program record with their 15th regular-season A-10 win.

With the two losses, Bonaventure will be eliminated from A-10 Championship contention with just one more victory each from Richmond, Saint Joseph's and Xavier.

Billy Urban had a hit in each game and drove in four runs, three coming off one swing in the first game with a home run. Joel Rosencrance also had a hit in both contests, drawing two walks in the first game and driving in a run and scoring one in the second outing.

In game two, St. Bona took a 1-0 lead in the 3rd inning on an Austin Ingraham single through the left side to plate Eric Jutca, who worked a one-out walk. However, La Salle immediately got the run back with an unearned tally in the 4th and added another in the 5th to take a 2-1 lead.

Rosencrance went 5 innings on the mound, allowing seven hits but only two runs, one of which was earned. After allowing a leadoff double in the 6th, he was relieved by Eddie Gray, who worked out of the jam with a sacrifice bunt, strike out and ground out.

The Bona offense then came out of its slumber in the bottom of the frame with three runs, started by an Urban single to center to score Ingraham. Rosencrance hit the first pitch he saw in the at bat deep to center to plate Urban from first. The final tally came on a hard-hit ball by Brian Weightman to the shortstop, who fielded it but threw it away, allowing Rosencrance to score.

Gray threw a 1-2-3 7th inning, but after a leadoff walk in the 8th and falling behind the next batter 2-0 on a close call by the home-plate umpire, was ejected for arguing. Urban moved from third base to pitch, and induced a potential inning-ending double-play ball to Thad Johnson, but it was fumbled, allowing the tying runs to score. La Salle added two more runs in the inning before turning the ball over to Pat Christensen, who earned his 11th save of the season and 44th of his career – the sixth most in NCAA history.

In game one, the Bonnies scored three runs, had three hits and made three errors. The only offensive production came on Urban's second home run of the season – a three-run, first-pitch blast over the left-field wall. Nick Lohrer and Rosencrance had the other hits for the Brown and White off La Salle starter Shawn O'Neill, who went 7 innings and struck out six.

Bona starter Andrew Revello went 6.2 innings, scattering six hits and allowing seven runs – four of which were earned. He was relieved by freshman Drew Teller, who pitched nearly flawlessly, allowing just one hit and facing eight batters in his 2.1 innings of work.

La Salle took a 2-0 lead in the 3rd off three doubles in the inning – one aided by a miscalculation in right field by Bret Heath. The Explorers manufactured a run in the 5th on a stolen base and a sacrifice fly and then added two more in the 6th on three Bonaventure errors, one by Revello.

The Explorers pushed their lead to 7-0 before the Bonnies got on the board in the 7th on Urban's home run after two straight walks to Ingraham and Jason Radwan leading off the frame. SBU threatened in the bottom of the 9th after the first two men reached base, but Jonathan Diaz grounded into a game-ending double play.

The games were moved up to a 10 a.m. start from their original Noon schedule due to thunderstorms expected later in the afternoon. The two teams will conclude the three-game series on Sunday at 12 p.m. Following the completion of the contest, Bonaventure's seniors will take the traditional Final Lap around the McGraw-Jennings basepaths.