Baseball rallies for win

Billy Collins' second hit of the season could not have come at a better time for the Penn baseball team.

The senior catcher -- who has been sidelined with a hand injury for most of the season -- crushed a 1-0 fastball over the left field fence in the top of the ninth inning.

The two-run homer was the highlight of a four-run final frame as the Quakers rallied to top La Salle, 13-11, yesterday.

"I've been working real hard to come back after being injured in Spring Training," Collins said. "[The homer] was just the icing on the cake -- I was just happy to get a few at bats in a row."

Coming into the game, Collins had not registered a hit in nine trips to the plate. Yesterday, he went 2 for 2.

"Coming back from his hand [injury], he's just been getting better and better and better," Penn coach Bob Seddon said. "And then he won the game! That's a good way of getting into the lineup."

The final inning for the Quakers (7-19) started with La Salle pitcher Eric Ruhland walking John Slaughter. The Explorers (7-22) brought in Matt Pascucci to try and close out the game, but the Quakers jumped all over him.

After Pascucci walked Alex Blagojevich, Nate Moffie laid down a perfect bunt to advance Blagojevich to second and Bangert, who had run for Slaughter, to third.

Bangert scored on a wild pitch before Collins' game-winning homer. After singling, Steve Glass scored on a Nick Italiano single to complete the scoring.

"We always try to come back when we're down," Collins said. "We're a team that really never says die."

The Quakers struck first in the game, loading the bases and scoring Mike Goldblatt on third-baseman John Stasny's error. Explorers started Jarrod Ringer then walked in Slaughter.

The Quakers led, 4-1, as Italiano and Andrew McCreery scored on a Mike Goldblatt groundout. Italiano finished the game 3 for 5 with two runs scored.

McCreery had perhaps the best offensive game of anyone on the Red and Blue, going 4 for 5 and missing the cycle by only a home run.

La Salle came back to take a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the fourth. La Salle catcher Brian Oakes -- who ended the game 2 for 5 with two runs scored -- hit a home run off the left field scoreboard as part of a three-run inning.

The Quakers committed two errors in the inning, as part of a five-error game in all. The Explorers did their best to stay with the Quakers, making four miscues in the field.

After taking a 9-5 lead, the Quakers tied the score with a four-run sixth. After loading the bases with no outs, Collins was picked off at third and Italiano fouled out -- making it looked like Penn would not be able to capitalize.

But McCreery doubled, and Goldblatt and Slaughter singled to give the Quakers' their four runs.

In the bottom of the seventh, left fielder Steve Harris -- who went 3 for 4 with four runs scored on the afternoon -- hit a homer off of the Quakers' Paul Grumet, giving the Explorers an 11-9 lead, and setting the stage for Penn's ninth-inning rally.

Freshman hurler Brian Winings (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth for the victory.

"It's always nice to not do anything for eight innings, and then come in and steal the win like that," Winings said.

"It's a great feeling to walk off this field a winner. Hopefully we'll remember what it's like this weekend and pull off a few wins over Harvard and Dartmouth."

The Quakers travel on Saturday to take on the Crimson, then play the Big Green on Sunday. They are currently 2-6 in the Ivy League's Lou Gehrig Division.

Harvard is 4-0 and Dartmouth is 1-3 in league pay. Both play in the Red Rolfe Division.

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