April 17, 2007

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - Junior Dan Terpak (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) tripled home the tying run in the sixth inning and had a two-run triple in the seventh to add much-needed insurance in a 6-2, come-from-behind victory for Villanova (17-15) over La Salle (13-18) on Tuesday at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. The win avenged an earlier loss to the Explorers, who scored five times in the ninth for a 9-8 victory over the Wildcats last month in Philadelphia.

A few cold rain showers moved out of the area just prior to the start of the game, but left in the wake were temperatures that struggled to stay near 40 degrees and winds that howled to gusts as high as 40 miles per hour. The wind blew straight in from center field and made for an adventure on any ball hit in the air during the game, which began 39 minutes after its scheduled start due to the lingering weather that is still a part of the Northeast storm that moved through the region earlier this week.

Once play got underway, John Rickards and Davis Hewett connected on back-to-back RBI singles in the first inning to spot La Salle to a 2-0 lead. That was all the Explorers managed against sophomore starter Josh Eidell (Pottstown, Pa.), who worked on a pitch count with a conference series at Pittsburgh looming this weekend.

Freshman Brian Streilein (Staten Island, N.Y.) worked a season-high 5 1/3 innings and picked up his first collegiate victory with shutout relief. He allowed six hits and a walk but struck out five and escaped jams by throwing two-thirds of his pitches for strikes. The Explorers out-hit Villanova 13-10 but stranded 14 runners on base and were 3-for-17 (.176) with runners in scoring position.

Offense was at a premium on the afternoon and the Wildcats didn't manage to get a runner into scoring position through the first five innings. Once runners got on base though, the offense brought them around and managed three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings. Sophomore Joe Rosati (Havertown, Pa.) singled with one out in the sixth and took second on an infield hit by junior Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.). Rosati was safe at third and came in to score during the next at-bat as an attempt to pick him off second went astray.

With the Wildcats still trailing 2-1 and Shunk at second base, Terpak hit a ball over the defense in left field that rolled to the wall for a triple that tied the game. Senior Jim Gillin (Broomall, Pa.) followed with a sacrifice fly that gave Villanova the lead.

In the seventh, freshman Tommy Grandieri (Media, Pa.) singled leading off and scored with two outs when Rosati struck out but reached base when the third strike was a wild pitch. Shunk walked and then Terpak followed with his second triple in as many innings, a line drive that got past the right fielder and also rolled to the wall.

La Salle loaded the bases with none out in the ninth inning but managed just one run before senior Nate Hall (Longmont, Colo.) closed out the game with an RBI groundout and two strikeouts.

Christian Schulz took the loss for the Explorers, surrendering four earned runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Shunk finished 3-for-3 with two runs and a walk to raise his team-best batting average to .433. Terpak and junior Robert Parks (Brick, N.J.) each had two hits and Rosati scored two runs and stole two bases.

The Wildcats are back at home on Wednesday afternoon to host Coppin State at 3 p.m.

NOTES: Terpak is the 10th player in Villanova history to triple twice in a game ... He is also the third Wildcat to have a two-triple game in the last three years ... The last to accomplish the feat were Darren Griffith (2005) and Kris Molloy (2006) ... Terpak has four triples on the season ... Villanova has won three straight games against La Salle at home but has lost the last three meetings at La Salle.