PHILADELPHIA – Winners of three straight and five of seven, the La Salle baseball team will host Massachusetts in a three game Atlantic 10 series, beginning on Friday at 3 p.m.
Massachusetts Minutemen (9-18, 3-6 A-10) at La Salle Explorers (15-19, 8-4 A-10)
Friday, April 19, 2013 | 3 PM | Live Statistics
Saturday, April 20, 2013 | 1 PM | Live Statistics
Sunday, April 21, 2013 | 12 PM | Live Statistics
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Probable Starters
G1: LHP
Ryan Donohue (1-3, 6.13 ERA) vs. RHP Andrew Grant (2-4, 4.58 ERA)
G2: LHP
Shawn O'Neill (3-4, 6.94 ERA) vs. LHP Jordan Pace (3-3, 3.20 ERA)
G3: RHP
Shane Hollman (2-3, 5.79 ERA) vs. LHP Conor LeBlanc (0-3, 6.21 ERA)
Explorer Notes
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Since returning from spring break, La Salle is 13-8 with an 8-5 record at DeVincent Field.
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The Explorers enter weekend play in a four-way tie for third place in the A-10 standings.
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Over their last eight games, the Explorers are batting .305 (88-288) as a team, including six games with double-figure hits and five games of seven or more runs. In that span, the Blue and Gold have raised their season average from .242 to .258.
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La Salle ranks fifth in the A-10 in fielding percentage (.969) and has not registered more than a one error in a single game since April 7 vs. Temple.
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Senior Pat Christensen (5-1, six saves) has recorded a win or save in 11 of La Salle's 15 victories on the season. The senior has registered a 0.69 ERA in relief this season, striking out 30 hitters and walking only four in 26 innings (12 apperances) of action. Christensen's career save tally of 39 is the most in A-10 history and 12th all-time in NCAA Division I history. His five wins are the second-most in the conference this season while his six saves are good for second in the A-10 as well.
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Freshman Joey Ravert was named A-10 Co-Rookie of the Week and Big 5 Player of the Week for games played April 8-14. The freshman hit .600 (12-20) during the span with a .636 on-base percentage and .800 slugging percentage. He raised his batting average from .242 to .329 during the streak which included two four-hit games and one three-RBI showing.
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Sophomore Mark Williams comes in as the conference's 11th-leading hitter (.352) while ranking fifth in slugging percentage (.500). Williams is batting .415 in conference play this season and has reached base safely in all but one A-10 game.
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Senior Dan Klem is batting .340 in A-10 play and has hit safely in his last five conference games. In that span, the third baseman is 12 for his last 22 (.545) with six runs scored.
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Sophomore Kevin Conroy drove home two runs vs. Saint Joseph's on Sunday, good for his fifth multi-RBI game on the season, the most on the club. Conroy added three more RBI in the Explorers' 8-7 win over Delaware State on Wednesday to raise his season total to 18, second-most on the squad.
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Sophomore Kevin Baron leads the squad in multi-hit games (13) and went 7-for-12 (.583) with a walk and HBP in the three game set vs. the Hawks over the weekend. Baron is the Explorers second-leading hitter in conference play at .386.
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Sophomore Justin Korenblatt has recorded 12 multi-hit games on the season and has hit safely in four of his last five games. His four triples this year are a tie for second-most in the conference.
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Junior Shawn O'Neill picked up his third win of the season on Saturday vs. Saint Joseph's, throwing 6.2 innings of two-run ball. O'Neill's inning mark was the most he has thrown since hurling a complete game one-hitter vs. Chicago State on March 17.
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Sophomore Shane Hollman has fanned 31 batters in 32.2 innings of work, good for a 8.7 K/9 mark, second-highest on the squad.
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Before giving up seven earned runs in last outing, senior Ryan Donohue had not surrendered more than two earned runs in a start since doing so on March 9 at New Mexico State.
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Junior Dominic Sgroi has surrendered only one earned run over his last six apperances (5.1 innings). He has not forfeited multiple earned runs in an outing since March 10 at New Mexico State.
Minutemen Notes
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UMass has won four straight, including taking two of three from St. Bonaventure last weekend in A-10 play.
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As a team, the Minutemen rank tenth in the A-10 in batting average (.249), ninth in ERA (4.47), and tenth in fielding percentage (.960).
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Ryan Cusick ranks fifth in the A-10 in stolen bases (16-19). Cusick is the squad's fourth-leading hitter at .284 and leads the club in runs (17).
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Rob McLam is the Minutemen's leading hitter at .307. He also paces UMass in hits (31) and on base percentage (.402).
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Adam Piscard is the Minutemen's leading power source, pacing the club in RBI (16), home runs (3), and slugging percentage (.483).
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Andrew Grant (Friday's probable starter) has struck out 27 batters in 39.1 innings while walking 25 (1.82 WHIP). Opponents are hitting .291 against him.
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Jordan Pace (Saturday's probable starter) has fanned 30 hitters in 50.2 innings while limiting hitters to a .247 batting average against clip.
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Conor LeBlanc (Sunday's probable starter) has surrendered 33 hits and 14 walks in 29 innings of action. Opponents are hitting an even .300 against him.
Up Next
The Explorers will travel to Penn State on Tuesday for a 6:05 p.m. start time before returning home for a weekend series vs. VCU beginning on Friday.
