CLINTON, S.C. – The La Salle University baseball team captured its first win of the season, holding off Presbyterian in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader at the PC Baseball Complex. The Explorers hung on for a 5-4 victory in game one before dropping a 13-4 decision in game two.

GAME 1 | La Salle 5, Presbyterian 4
Sophomore Ryan Guckin delivered with a two-run double in the third inning, and the Explorers later took a 5-0 lead in the sixth. The Blue Hose came back to make it a one-run game, but senior Austin Constantini shut it down in the ninth to seal the victory.

Redshirt junior Greg Paprocki got the start on the mound for La Salle, his first appearance since 2016 after missing last season due to injury. Paprocki was solid over four shutout innings of work, allowing just one hit and striking out five.

Junior Kevin McGowan scored the first run of the game on a Peyton Sorrels groundout, putting La Salle ahead, 1-0, in the second inning.

The following inning, Guckin struck a two-RBI double to right center with the bases loaded to score junior Brett Simon and senior Brian Dudeck. Later in the inning, Constantini scored on a wild pitch to give La Salle a 4-0 lead.

Junior Connor Hinchliffe gave the Explorers some insurance in the sixth inning, bringing home junior Brian Tagoe on an RBI single to center.

That run proved to be the difference in the game, as Presbyterian stormed back with a run in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the seventh on a Nick Guimbarda home run. The Blue Hose then pulled within one on a Tannor Byrd single.

But Constantini only needed 10 pitches to close out the 5-4 win and earn his first save of the year.

Junior Mike Anthony (1-0) earned the win for the Explorers after striking out three batters over three innings pitched. Connor Jahn (0-1) drew the loss for Presbyterian.

GAME 2 | Presbyterian 13, La Salle 4
La Salle's offense continued to shine in game two, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning. But four errors proved costly, and despite outhitting Presbyterian, 13-11, a seven-run first inning by the home team put La Salle in a deep hole early.

Sorrels and junior Ben Faso started things off with back-to-back singles in the first inning. McGowan then drove in Sorrels on a double to right center to provide La Salle with an early 1-0 advantage.

However, Presbyterian got to sophomore pitcher Jackson Ray and went off for seven runs of five hits and an error in the bottom of the first.

Hinchliffe brought La Salle back within two, 7-2, after he led off the second inning with a solo homer to left field. But again, Presbyterian had an answer, as Guimbarda smacked his second long ball of the day to give the Blue Hose a 9-2 advantage in the third.

After Presbyterian added another pair of runs in the sixth, senior Chase Arnold knocked in Faso on an RBI single to left to make it an 11-2 game. Presbyterian added another run in the seventh before freshman Jack Cucinotta scored on a fielder's choice hit by Sorrels. Presbyterian would add one more run in the eighth, leading to the 13-4 final.

Faso went 4-for-5 with a run scored, while Sorrels went 2-for-5 with a run as well. Freshman pitcher Michael Jenkins registered seven strikeouts over 3.2 innings in relief.

Colton Springs (1-0) claimed the win on the hill for Presbyterian, while Ray (0-1) took the loss.

The two teams will conclude their four-game series on Sunday, with first pitch set for 11 a.m.