SAINT LOUIS – The La Salle Explorers scored three runs in the top of the 10^th inning to take a 12-10 victory over the Saint Louis Billikens in the series opener at the Billiken Sports Center on Friday night.

Cameron Johnson reached on an error to start the 10^th before Yan Carlo Rivera was hit by a pitch to put two men on with one out for La Salle (15-16-1, 4-3 A-10). Travis George singled in the go-ahead run and moved to second on a throwing error.

After Ryan Welling was intentionally walked to load the bases, Rivera scored on a passed ball that also moved George to third and Welling to second. Ethan Springston made it 12-10 with a sac fly to bring home George.

Adam Cherry (W, 1-0), who was charged with three unearned runs in the 9^th after a pair of La Salle fielding errors, pitched around a solo homer to put Saint Louis (21-12, 4-3 A-10) away in the 10^th.

Welling had an RBI single in the 9^th to break a 6-6 tie before Collin McGowan sent a double to left center to make it a 9-6 lead for the Explorers. The Billikens, however, rallied for three runs thanks to a pair of La Salle errors in the bottom of the 9^th to force extras.

Welling led the offensive charge for the Blue and Gold, going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs driven in. McGowan also drove in two while knocking two doubles, and Justin Korenblatt was 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.