Baseball | March 17, 2016

PHILADELPHIA –The La Salle baseball team will play host to three games this weekend as part of the Big 5 Baseball Bash, beginning with a matchup against Canisius on Friday afternoon. 
 
Canisius Golden Griffins (3-12) at La Salle Explorers (4-12)
Friday, March 18 | 3 PM | Hank DeVincent Field
Live Statistics | Live Tweets @ExplorerGameDay 
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Saint Peter's Peacocks (3-7) at La Salle Explorers (4-12)
Saturday, March 19 | 12 and 3 PM | Hank DeVincent Field
Live Statistics | Live Tweets @ExplorerGameDay 
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Sacred Heart Pioneers (3-8) at La Salle Explorers (4-12)
Sunday, March 20 | 12 PM | Hank DeVincent Field
Live Statistics | Live Tweets @ExplorerGameDay 
 
Explorer Notes
-La Salle is coming off a 3-1 win over fellow Big 5 Baseball Bash host Villanova on Tuesday at Hank DeVincent Field. 

-Freshman Mike Anthony picked up his first career after win limiting the Wildcats to one run over six innings on Tuesday. Senior Tom Fazzini tossed two scoreless innings to earn his second save. 

-Yan Carlo Rivera clubbed his first career homer in the win over Nova, sending a solo shot over the fence in left after driving in a run with a groundout in the 2nd. 

-Chase Arnold was named Big 5 Player of the Week on Monday after hitting .400 (4-for-10) with a homer and 6 RBI in four games last week as the Explorers earned a series win at East Tennessee State.

Canisius Notes
- The Golden Griffins have lost their previous five games, including a four-game sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Bearcats last weekend. 

-Anthony Massicci leads the team in hits (15) and runs scored (10). The senior is hitting .319 through 15 games, and has also swiped a team-high six bases. 

- Canisius, the defending MAAC Tournament champions, were tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the league after garnering six of the 11 first-place votes.

Saint Peter's Notes
-The Peacocks took two of three games last weekend, beating Fordham and Villanova on the road on Saturday and Sunday after falling at Stony Brook on Friday. 

-Mike Ionta (.393 BA) and Jon Kristoffersen (.359 BA) have the hot bats for Saint Peter's to start the season. Kristoffersen has already clubbed four homers and also leads the club with eight RBI. 

-Senior John Leiter was named the MAAC Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday after tossing his second career shutout in a 2-0 win against Fordham on Mar. 12. The righty became the fifth player in program history to register at least two career shutouts.

-La Salle defeated Saint Peter's 3-2 in extra innings the last time the two teams met (Mar. 17, 2012). Brendan Norton hit a walk-off single to right field in the bottom of the 11th to lift the Explorers.
 
Sacred Heart Notes
-The Pioneers have won back-to-back games after starting the season 1-8. They took the second game of a DH at Nicholls State last Friday before upending Fordham 2-1 on Tuesday in extra innings in their home opener. 

- Victor Sorrento is leading the Pioneer offense with 10 RBI and a .326 average through 11 games. Dan Shock isn't far behind with 6 RBI and a .321 average while Jayson Sullivan has plated seven runs and is hitting at a .273 clip. 

-James Cooksey has logged the most innings on the mound for SHU, going 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA in 17.1 innings. Sophomore Alex Perry has had success out of the bullpen in four appearances, earning a win while compiling a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings.