TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University baseball team nearly came back from down nine with a combined 10 runs in the fifth and sixth innings but was downed by La Salle 16-11 at Schuerholz Park.
Towson (15-25) was down 9-0 to La Salle (25-13) after three-and-a-half frames, with the Tigers scoring in the next three innings, including six in the fifth and four in the sixth to get within three. La Salle added two more in the seventh and held for the victory.
Key Stats:
- Seven Tigers hit safely in a game where Towson outhit La Salle 14-12.
- Three Towson players had at least three hits, led by a 4-for-5 day by Danny Becerra including a double and three runs. Nolan Young finished 3-for-4 with a triple, a run and two RBI while Javon Fields tallied three hits off five at-bats, scoring once and driving in two more. Billy Godrick hit his second home run of the season, a two-run blast in the fifth.
- On the mound, starter Teddy Blumenauer (0-1) got the defeat, having four runs in 1+ innings. Nolan Bolt and Jake Pecilunas each had scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth.
- For La Salle, Tatem Levins hit two home runs, going 3-for-6 with three runs and six RBI. Starter Joe Messina had a no-decision with 4.1 innings, three runs and four strikeouts. The win went to reliever Colin Kennedy, who pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
How It Happened:
- Teddy Blumenauer tossed a scoreless top of the first for Towson, but in the second, La Salle scored six runs, capped by a three-run home run by Jack Cucinotta.
- Justin Rebok pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the third. La Salle added in the fourth with a three-run home run by Tatem Levins to lead 9-0.
- Towson got its first run in the fourth, first getting two on and one out. A bouncing ball by Javon Fields went over the shortstop's head for an RBI single, scoring Danny Becerra to make it 9-1 Explorers.
- The home team got the bats going in the bottom of the fifth. With Trent Gast-Woodard on first, Billy Godrick took a first pitch over the left field wall for a two-run home run. Towson was not finished, getting two on and two out. A Fields swinging bunt single brought in a run, then a fielding error loaded the bases. Matt Arceo belted a line drive to left-center to clear the bases on a double and pull Towson within two at 9-7.
- Started by a three-run home run by Levins, La Salle got back five runs in the top of the fifth and led 14-7.
- Towson responded in a big way in the following half-inning, getting two on via an error and hit-by-pitch. Nolan Young lined a pitch to the right-center gap to plate two runs off a triple, then came home on an RBI infield single by Noah Cabrera. After Fields reached on a single, a wild play off a strikeout, including a wild pitch and a throwing error, allowed a run to score and make it 14-11 La Salle.
- La Salle got two back off a throwing error from the pitcher which allowed the pair of baserunners to score. The Explorers led 16-11 after six-and-a-half.
- Nolan Bolt and Jake Pecilunas held down La Salle in the eighth and ninth respectively, but Towson could not muster a final rally and fell 16-11.
Inside the Numbers:
- Jake Pecilunas made his 73rd career pitching appearance for Towson, putting him alone for third all-time in program history.
- Javon Fields has reached base in 16 consecutive games.
- Towson nearly pulled off two big comebacks in five days. On Friday at Hofstra, Towson rallied from down six to win 9-8 in game one.
Next Game:
Towson returns to Colonial Athletic Association play this weekend up north, playing a four-game set at Northeastern. First game set for Friday, April 30 at 2 p.m.
