MERION STATION, Pa. - For the third consecutive day, the Saint Joseph's baseball team found itself down to its last out in the bottom of the ninth. For the second time in three days, the Hawks came away with a win, as Deon Stafford's bases-loaded ground ball led to a game-ending error that gave the Hawks a dramatic 5-4 win over La Salle at Smithson Field on Sunday afternoon.
With the bases loaded and La Salle on top, 4-3, Stafford stepped in against Adam Cherry. After working a full count, Stafford hit a ground ball to short; Collin McGowan's throw pulled first baseman Joey Ravert off the bag and allowed Matt Maul and Taylor Boyd to score the tying and winning runs, respectively.
Saint Joseph's (18-23 overall, 8-9 Atlantic 10) took an early lead as Maul led off the game with a single, stole second, and came in on a double by Boyd to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead after one.
La Salle (21-23-1 overall, 9-9 Atlantic 10) got a two-out single from Nico Olvera to score Josh Savakinus and tie the game in the top of the second.
The Explorers tacked on singletons in the third and fourth as well. Cameron Johnson led off the third with an infield single and scored on a single by Ravert, while Ethan Springston led off the fourth with a double and came in two batters later on another single by Olvera.
John Brue led off the bottom of the fourth for SJU with a double, advanced to third on a groundout by Stafford, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Stefan Kancylarz to get the Hawks back within a run.
It would remain a 3-2 game until the seventh when Ravert hit a one-out home run to right, his second in as many days and 10th of the season, to double the La Salle advantage.
The Hawks answered right away, however, as Lansing Veeder drew a one-out walk, stole second on a strikeout, and came in to score on a single by Maul. Boyd then drew a walk of his own before La Salle reliever Freddy Andujar was called for a balk to put runners at second and third for Brue. Unfortunately for the Crimson and Gray, Brue's fly ball to right was snagged by Springston to keep the Explorers ahead.
La Salle had an opportunity to extend the lead in the eighth, putting runners on the corners with one out, but Veeder took the mound from left field and got McGowan to pop up a bunt before fanning Johnson to escape the jam.
After Cherry notched two quick strikeouts in the ninth, Maul fell behind in the count but battled back to draw a walk. Boyd then walked on four pitches to put the tying run in scoring position for Brue. Cherry's first offering to Brue was wild, allowing the runners to move up; the Explorers then elected to intentionally walk Brue, bringing Stafford to the plate. His ground ball to McGowan led to a close play at first, but the throw was wide enough to pull Ravert off the bag and allow both runners, who were off with the 3-2 pitch, to cross the plate and clinch the series for the Hawks.
The win improved Veeder's record to 2-2; he allowed one hit in an inning and two-thirds of shutout relief. Cherry took the loss, falling to 1-1. He was charged with a pair of unearned runs on one hit while striking out three. He did not allow a hit in the fateful ninth inning; however, he issued three free passes in the frame that led directly to the Hawk victory.
Saint Joseph's returns to Smithson Field on Tuesday, May 5, for a 3:00 tilt with Delaware.
