May 23, 2012

2012 Baseball Game 2 URI-SJU

BRONX, N.Y.--Sixth-seeded Saint Joseph's earned a 3-0 shutout win over No. 3 Rhode Island behind a complete game performance by Alex Pracher Wednesday in the game two of the 2012 Atlantic 10 Baseball Championships at Fordham's Houlihan Park.

The Hawks advanced to Thursday to face second-seeded Dayton at 3:30 pm. Rhode Island will play again Wednesday night at 7:00 pm against No. 4 Massachusetts in the double-elimination tournament.

This season marked the first time Saint Joseph's has qualified in the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship. The Hawks are now 1-0 in the A-10 tournament all-time.

Pracher (5-9) pitched a complete game to earn the win, allowing five hits and issuing five strikeouts. Anthony Pisani (4-2) suffered the loss for Rhode Island, allowing two earned runs on eight hits and six strikeouts.

It marked the fourth time this season Rhode Island was shut out and the third time SJU has held an opponent scoreless. It's also was Pracher's second shutout in the last three weeks.

The Hawks' first run came in the third when centerfielder Brett Tiagwad hit a lead-off single and then scored on a two-out RBI single by right fielder Greg Krumpel.  Two innings later first baseman Kevin Taylor hit a two-out solo home run for a 2-0 lead.

Saint Joseph's added a run in the top of the ninth thanks to a Brian O'Keefe double, his third of the game. The double drove in Taylor, who reached on an error.