Gerard Breslin earned his first save of the season.

Rich Prall hit a two-run home run, all the support needed for the day.

John Rickards supplied an insurance run with a solo home run in the ninth.

DAYTON, OH - The La Salle University Baseball team shutout the Dayton Flyers to open the Atlantic 10 Slate with a 3-0 victory Friday afternoon at Time Warner Cable Stadium, for the team's third straight win and fifth in seven games.

In only his second college start, freshman Ken Elkind scattered just two hits over six innings and struck out six batters to earn his first win of his career. Throwing two innings of relief, junior Gerard Breslin allowed just one hit and earned his first save of the season, 16th of his career.

La Salle (6-13, 1-0 A-10) pitchers, senior John Reifsnyder pitched a perfect seventh inning, limited the Flyers to just five base runners all day and did not allow any to reach third base, despite two hits being doubles.

Dayton (8-10, 0-1 A-10) squandered its only two real threats in the game. William Benoit led off the second with a double, but was stranded when Bryan Chandler popped to short and Elkind struck the next two batters out.

In the fourth inning, junior Rich Prall provided all the runs that the Explorers would need on the afternoon. Junior Bill Kern singled to open the inning and a batter later, Prall put the ball over the right field fence, which extended his hitting streak to seven games. 

Sophomore John Rickards added an insurance run in the top of the ninth, with a solo home run to right field as well.

In the bottom of the ninth, Dayton had its second chance to plate a run, after Michael Massa hit a one-out double. Galen Schumm would follow the hit with a walk, putting runners on first and second with one out, however Breslin struck out the next batter and got Benoit to end the game with a grounder to second.

The strong pitching effort by the Explorers staff ruined a strong outing by Flyer pitcher Luke Trubee. The senior threw a complete game five hitter and struck out 12 batters, but suffered the loss.

The two teams will face each other two more times this weekend, with games Saturday (1 PM) and Sunday (12 PM).