Davidson College
14-13, 0
La Salle
6-21, 0
'Cats Score Most Runs Since 2010, Sinking Explorers 24-4
4/7/2017 8:14:00 PM | Baseball
Box Score (PDF)
PHILADELPHIA— Davidson baseball (14-13, 5-5 A-10) exploded for 20 hits and scored 24 runs en route to their first road win of the year, taking down Atlantic 10 foe La Salle (6-21, 1-7 A-10) 24-4 Friday in Philadelphia at Hank DeVincent Field. The hits were the most for the 'Cats since March 2015, when they collected 24 versus Yale, and the most runs since 2010, when they put up 29 against Mount St. Mary's.
Sophomore Justin Lebek delivered a highlight that Davidson hasn't seen in at least three decades, recording an inside-the-park homerun after mashing a ball to deep, deep center. Seniors Will Robertson and Cameron Marshall also hit long balls; Robertson his fourth of the season and second in as many games, and Marshall belted the second of his career. His first was a pinch-hit grand slam last season versus Iona.
Robertson led the charge, going 4-for-6, scoring four times and chipping in five RBI. Lebek and junior Alec Acosta each turned in three hits, while Lebek also scored four times. All but one Wildcat who came to the plate either scored or collected a hit. Lebek, Acosta, and seniors Brian Fortier and Tyler Agard all doubled. Agard has now turned in three doubles in his last four games. Junior Cam Johnson and sophomore Max Bazin each added three runs apiece.
The Explorers actually attacked first, scoring in the opening frame off a fielder's choice and a couple singles.
The Wildcats responded just as quickly, tying and taking the lead within minutes of each other. Lebek led off the inning with a double, moving to third on a flyout, and scoring on classmate Bazin's single back to the shortstop. Bazin then scored the go-ahead on a Robertson single laced down the left field line.
The Wildcats began to build onto their lead in the third, when they plated five runs, including three courtesy of Robertson's jack to left field. In the fourth, Lebek sent the ball sailing way over the Explorers' outfielder to 458-foot center field wall, making his way all the around the diamond for the first inside-the-park home run during Coach Dick Cooke's 28-year tenure.
The 'Cats added three in the fifth; Bazin scored his second run of the day after singling and coming home on an Acosta single up the middle, Johnson (boarded via error) scored on a groundout, and Robertson then came home on a passed ball.
The offense kept surging, adding seven more runs in the sixth, including 2-RBI hits from each Acosta and sophomore Eric Jones. A two-inning stall was reignited in the ninth, when Agard's double brought in two 'Cats, Marshall belted his three-run blast, and Robertson came home again on another passed ball.
Senior Durin O'Linger improved to 2-2 on the year, tossing five innings and picking up five strikeouts.
Davidson and La Salle return to action Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. showdown.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: O'Linger, Durin (2-2)
L: ANTHONY, Mike (0-5)
Batting:
2B: Acosta, Alec 1 ; Fortier, Brian 1 ; Lebek, Justin 1 ; Agard, Tyler 1
HR: Marshall, Cameron 1 ; Robertson, Will 1 ; Lebek, Justin 1
RBI: Johnson, Cam 1 ; Marshall, Cameron 3 ; Robertson, Will 5 ; Acosta, Alec 3 ; Jones, Eric 2 ; Sidwell, Jake 1 ; Lebek, Justin 1 ; Centracchio, Brett 1 ; Agard, Tyler 2 ; Bazin, Max 2
SF: Centracchio, Brett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, Cam 3 ; Marshall, Cameron 1 ; Robertson, Will 4 ; Acosta, Alec 1 ; Jones, Eric 2 ; Sidwell, Jake 2 ; Nussbaum, Zach 1 ; Lebek, Justin 4 ; Centracchio, Brett 1 ; Agard, Tyler 1 ; Bazin, Max 3 ; Fedje-Johnson, Alex 1
HBP: Robertson, Will 1 ; Acosta, Alec 1 ; Sidwell, Jake 1
Batting:
2B: GUCKIN, Ryan 1 ; ARNOLD, Chase 1 ; AMANAU, Rafael 1
HR: MCGOWAN, Kevin 1
RBI: MCGOWAN, Kevin 2 ; TAGOE, Brian 1 ; AMANAU, Rafael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: GUCKIN, Ryan 1 ; MCGOWAN, Kevin 2 ; ARNOLD, Chase 1
HBP: AMANAU, Rafael 1
