Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 1 (PDF) | Box Score 2 (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle baseball team dropped game one of Thursday's doubleheader to Saint Louis, 5-4, before responding with a 4-3, walk off victory in the nightcap. Josh Savakinus went 5-for-7 in the double dip and Justin Korenblatt stayed scorching hot with a 4-for-7 mark.

GAME ONE
Korenblatt (2-4, 2 RBI, R) accounted for the first score of the ballgame in the first when he lined a double to the left center gap, scoring Kevin Baron (2-4, BB, R) from second. Baron led off the frame with a single before advancing to second on a George Smith Jr (1-4, BB) groundout.

The Billikens got to La Salle starter Shane Hollman in the second, capitalizing on three knocks and an Explorer error to open up a 3-1 lead. SLU added two more in the sixth off the right hander. Hollman lasted 5.1 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) while scattering 10 hits. He took the loss, dipping to 3-4 on the year.

The Explorers scored a single run in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings and trailed 5-4 after six. Four La Salle baserunners reached in the final three innings, but none crossed home. The Blue & Gold stranded 13 runners in the ballgame.

The home team outhit the visitors, 14-11, as six Explorers notched multi-hit games.

SLU's James Norwood improved his season mark to 8-1, tossing 5.1 innings while being charged with three earned runs. The Billiken pen combined for 3.2 scoreless innings in relief.

GAME TWO
The Explorers were not to be denied in the nightcap, clawing back from a 3-1 deficit by scoring a run in each of the last three innings to secure the comeback victory. With runners on first and third and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Smith Jr (0-5) scorched a grounder that ate up SLU second baseman Michael Cusenza, scoring pinch runner Felipe Rivera from third.

Savakinus (3-3, 2 RBI, R) found himself in the middle of the action, picking up RBIs in the fourth and eight innings to polish off a fine day at the dish. Kevin Conroy (1-4, RBI) tripled home Savakinus in the seventh, which cut the SLU lead to 3-2 at the time.

Tom Fazzini made the spot start for the Explorers, tossing a career-high five innings. He gave up two earned on a pair of solo blasts and struck out four against two free passes. Freddy Andujar and Shawn O'Neill posted blanks the last three frames and O'Neill picked up his fifth win of the year.

Zach Girrens worked 1.1 innings in relief and took the loss as he allowed the game-winning run aboard to lead off the ninth. He dips to 1-4 on the year.

With the split, La Salle now sits at 14-34, 9-15 A-10 while SLU will enter Saturday's rubber match 32-19, 18-7 A-10.

Senior day festivities will be celebrated before Saturday's game beginning at 11:45 a.m.