PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Explorers are set to host their biggest home stand of the season. Coming off a weekend sweep of George Mason, the Explorers look poised to capture a berth in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. The Blue and Gold will host two-game sets against two teams that have tournament aspirations themselves in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The Explorers will host a two-game set against the Minutemen with games on Thursday and Friday at 3:00 PM. Next, La Salle will welcome Rhode Island into town for a doubleheader on Saturday at West Campus Field. First pitch of Game 1 against the Rams is scheduled for 12:00 PM.
 
La Salle Explorers (14-14; 6-2 A-10) vs. Massachusetts Minutemen (10-15; 4-2 A-10)
Thursday, April 17, 2014 | 3:00 PM | West Campus Field – Philadelphia, Pa.
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La Salle Explorers (14-14; 6-2 A-10) vs. Massachusetts Minutemen (10-15; 4-2 A-10)
Friday, April 18, 2014 | 3:00 PM | West Campus Field – Philadelphia, Pa.
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Scouting the Explorers
La Salle enters this weekend's crucial four-game home stand looking to solidify their place among the top-six in the Atlantic 10 standings, putting themselves in line for a conference tournament berth. The Explorers took a big step towards achieving that goal last weekend, sweeping a doubleheader against George Mason at West Campus Field. The Blue and Gold outlasted the Patriots 2-0 in a phenomenal pitchers duel in Game 1; before crushing five home runs in a 8-0 rout of the Patriots in a five inning victory in Game 2. The Explorers enter the weekend series with an overall record of 14-14 and a conference record of 6-2.
 
The Explorers will look to keep the bats hot against two of the A-10's lesser-rated pitching staffs in terms of earned run average. Rhode Island ranks seventh in the conference with a 4.39 team earned run average. Massachusetts sits in eighth with a 4.43 mark.
 
Suzanne Swanicke continues to lead the team in hitting in her first year in Blue and Gold. She enters the home stand with .363 batting average (29-for-80). She also leads the team in doubles (9), while she mashed her first collegiate home run to walk-off George Mason in Game 2 last Saturday.
 
Megan Hodgson and Michelle Hagarty had been scuffling at the dish entering last weekend's big series. However, both seemed to have begun to have worked out of their funks. Hodgson blasted a two-run homer to give the Explorers a 2-0 lead late in Game 1, which turned out to be the game-winner. Hagarty led off Game 2 with a titanic round-tripper to left center and added another solo-homer later in the game – her first career multi-homer game – as part of a 3-for-3 game at the plate.
 
Hodgson continues rank high in the Atlantic 10 in several hitting categories. She is tied for the top spot in the conference in slugging percentage (.726), while she is tied for fourth in the A-10 with eight homers on the season. She leads the Explorers with 26 RBIs, while she ranks second on the team in batting average (.329), doubles (5), and on-base percentage (.456).
 
Hagarty has been an on-base machine for the Explorers. She leads the team with a .460 on-base percentage this season, while she ranks third in hitting with a .325 batting average. She is unafraid in sacrificing her body to the cause, as she ranks second in the conference, reaching base 11 times via hit-by-pitch.
 
Linnette Siedler has been a hot hitter in an expanded role in recent contests. Hitting primarily out of the two-hole, she is riding a five-game hitting streak. She singled up the middle to lead off the bottom of the sixth innings, setting the stage for Hodgson's two-run shot to right center.
 
The Explorers pitching has been phenomenal all season and was brilliant yet again over the weekend against George Mason. The combination of Alicia Aughton and Mary Cate Scott blanked the conference's then top-hitting team in George Mason over 12 spotless innings of work. It marked the first time this season that the Patriots were held off the scoreboard in consecutive games. The Explorer pitching staff ranks second in the Atlantic 10 with a 3.13 earned run average. They will have to be on their game, as they face one of the A-10's top-hitting teams in Massachusetts.
 
Alicia Aughton has blossomed into a bona fide staff ace for the Explorers this season. She leads the Atlantic 10 conference with a 1.85 earned run average and a .216 opponents batting average against. She was in prime form in her last outing against George Mason, limiting the Patriots to just five hits over seven clean innings to notch her third complete game and eighth victory of the season.
 
Mary Cate Scott was brilliant against the Patriots in Game 2. With her impressive mix of off-speed pitches, Scott shutdown George Mason in the five innings shut out. She has posted a solid 3.77 earned run average this season, while she will look to even her 6-7 record in her next start.   
 
Scouting the Minutemen
Massachusetts has been hot as wildfire over recent weeks. The Minutemen stumbled out of the gates to a 3-14 record and a 0-2 mark in the A-10 to begin the season. They have found their legs since that point, entering the series against the Explorers with wins in seven of their last eight contests. They have won their last four A-10 games, coming off doubleheader sweeps against Dayton and at St. Bonaventure.
The Minutemen can attribute their recent surge to the offense. Massachusetts has scored 64 runs, an average of eight per game, over their recent eight game binge. They plated 27 runs in their two-game domination of St. Bonaventure last weekend.
 
Massachusetts certainly carries their play through the offense. They rank third in the conference in team batting average (.283), while they rank third in slugging percentage (.422), fourth in on-base percentage (.365), and fifth in home runs (18).
 
Quianna Diaz Patterson is tied for the top spot in the conference with a .420 batting average on the year. She is almost impossible to keep off the base paths, reaching base safely at a conference leading .500 clip. She is the Minutemen's primary table setter, tied for the team lead in runs scored (21) and doubles (7), while leading the team in triples (2) and stolen bases (5).
 
Bridget Lemire, Lindsey Webster, and Taylor Carbone provide the thunder for the Massachusetts lineup. They have combined for 12 of the team's 18 homers this season and have knocked in 48% (52-of-108) of the team's RBIs.
 
Lemire is coming off a fantastic showing last week, which netted her Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week honors. She knocked four home runs, including three in the doubleheader sweep of St. Bonaventure. She also knocked in eight of her 14 total RBIs against the Bonnies. She currently leads the team with five long-balls on the year.
 
Webster ranks third on the team with a .328 batting average. She is tied for the team lead in doubles (7), while she ranks third in runs scored (16) and second in RBIs (18). She has also blasted three round-trippers this season.
 
Carbone leads the team with 20 RBIs on the year, while she has also stroked four doubles and four homers on the year.
 
The weak spot of the Minutemen is their pitching staff. Massachusetts ranks eighth in the conference with a 4.43 team earned run average. They have allowed opponents to score an average of just over five runs per game (5.32), while opponents have a .287 batting average against.
 
Caroline Raymond is the ace of the staff and has been strong option for the Minutemen. She enters the weekend with a 3.11 earned run average and a 7-8 record on the year. Raymond is not a big strikeout pitcher, having only punched out 40 in 85.2 innings of work. However, she does not allow a lot of hard contact, limiting hitters to a .241 average, tied for fifth best in the A-10.
 
Tara Klee has been the Minutemen's second option this season. She enters with a 6.74 earned run average and a record of 3-4 on the year.
 
La Salle Explorers (14-14; 6-2 A-10) vs. Rhode Island Rams (10-23; 4-4 A-10)
Saturday, April 19, 2014 | 12:00 & 2:00 PM | West Campus Field – Philadelphia, Pa.
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Scouting the Rams
Rhode Island has experienced an up and down year thus far, but is right in the thick of things in the battle for top-six position in the Atlantic 10 standings. The Rams god big doubleheader splits against Dayton and conference leading Saint Louis to begin A-10 play. They also surprised with a doubleheader sweep of St. Joseph's to up their record to 4-2. However, the Rams were humbled last weekend, dropping both games of a doubleheader at home to Fordham. Rhode Island enters with a 10-23 overall record and a 4-4 mark in conference play, currently holding onto the sixth and final conference tournament slot. They will play a doubleheader at George Mason on Friday afternoon before taking on the Explorers at West Campus Field on Saturday.
 
The Rams have struggled to get the bats going thus far this season. They rank last in the conference with a .222 team batting average. The Rams have only managed to score 77 total runs this season, an average of 2.33 runs per game. Most of their issues offensively have been their lack of extra-base hits. They have knocked only 25 extra-base hits this season (23 doubles, 1 triple, 1 home run).
 
Taylor Archer leads the charge offensively for the Rams. She has a team leading .289 batting average this season, while she also leads the team with 13 RBIs.
 
Jocelyn Mattison has joined Archer as a primary run producer for the Rams. While she has only hit for a .230 average, she ranks second on the team with 12 runs scored and 12 RBIs. She has hit the Rams only homer of the season.
 
Stacey Fox has reeked havoc on the base-paths. She leads the team with 14 runs scored and is 5-for-5 in stolen bases.
 
The Rams pitching staff has had an up and down season as well. The currently rank seventh in the conference with a 4.39 earned run average. They also rank ninth in opponents average against, allowing opponents to hit at a .303 clip this season.
 
Sam Bedore leads the Rams staff. She has posted a solid 3.18 earned run average in going 7-8 on the year. She has gone the distance times this season, while she leads the team with 92.1 innings pitched. Bedore has been a strikeout pitcher for the Rams, collecting 81 punch outs, which ranks fourth in the Atlantic 10 this season.
 
Ashley Dumoulin and Caitlin Kennedy have shared the number two duties; however, neither has been able to find much traction thus far this season. Dumoulin has posted a 4.45 earned run average and 1-6 record on the season. Kennedy has a less sterling 6.62 earned run average and 2-10 mark. Both have allowed opponents to hit over .330 or better against.