Box Score | Box Score (PDF)

NEWARK, Del. – The La Salle baseball team laid the wood on Tuesday afternoon at Bob Hannah Stadium, knocking off Delaware, 18-6, in the Liberty Bell Classic semifinal. The Explorers will take on Saint Joseph's on April 22 in the tournament championship game at Citizens Bank Park.

"Hitting is contagious and we really got off to a good start today," head coach Mike Lake said of his team that scored six runs through the first five innings. "We also played a good game defensively and our pitching staff did a nice job keeping Delaware's offense from doing too much damage."

La Salle's offense did plenty of damage on its own, totaling 20 hits on the afternoon behind five multiple hit efforts. Kevin Baron (4-4, 5 R) and George Smith Jr (4-6, 5 RBI, 4 R) each notched four knocks on the day at the top of the lineup. Baron touched home a career-high five times while Smith blasted two triples and a homer and fell just a double shy of the cycle.

With the game locked at six apiece, the Explorers put the game away in the top of the seventh with a nine-spot. La Salle sent 14 hitters to the dish in the frame while the Blue Hens needed three relievers to escape the inning down 15-6. They added three more runs in the ninth to total 18 runs, its highest output since February 28, 2009 in a 21-6 defeat of Morehead State.

Of La Salle's 20 hits, 12 were of the extra base variety. Smith Jr, Cameron Johnson (2-5, 4 RBI, R), Josh Savakinus (2-5, 2 RBI, 2 R), and Nick Tierno (1-1, 3 RBI) each hit big flies. The club's 20-hit showing is its most since notching 22 hits on April 13, 2013 vs. Saint Joseph's.

Dominic Sgroi picked up his first win of the year on the hill, throwing four scoreless frames to end the ballgame. John Geffre took the loss, surrendering five earned runs in 2.1 innings.

La Salle (9-19) will visit Delaware (14-15) again on Wednesday afternoon with first pitch set for 3:00 p.m.

NOTES: The Explorers reach the Liberty Bell Classic final for the first time since 2006 when they won the tournament…Smith Jr recorded two triples in a game for the first time in his career. His 5 RBI were also a career high. He extended his hitting streak to 11 games…Johnson hit his first homer as an Explorer on Tuesday. He extended his hitting streak to nine games…Savakinus' homer was his second of the year…Tierno's homer was the first of his collegiate career…Korenblatt recorded his team-best 12^th multi-hit game of the season…Sgroi collected his first win since March 13, 2012 vs. Temple…Alex Faust worked two scoreless innings in relief