Baseball | February 22, 2018
PHILADELPHIA – After picking up two wins in its opening series of the 2018 season, the La Salle University baseball team will continue its road trip with visits to The Citadel and Maryland Eastern Shore. La Salle will begin with a three-game series at The Citadel this weekend before traveling to Maryland Eastern Shore for one game on Tuesday.
HOW TO FOLLOW
La Salle (2-2) at The Citadel (1-2)
Charleston, S.C.
Game 1 | Friday – 3 p.m. |
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Game 2 | Saturday – 2 p.m. |
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Game 3 | Sunday – 1 p.m. |
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La Salle at Maryland Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, Md.
Tuesday – 3 p.m. |
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Twitter:
@LaSalleBase #LaSalleBASE
SIMON AND FASO EARN PHILLY ACCOLADES
Juniors
Brett Simon and
Ben Faso were recognized after their stellar play at the plate in La Salle's series split at Presbyterian. Simon was named Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week, while Faso was tabbed Philadelphia Baseball Review Hitter of the Week.
Simon batted .625, which leads the Atlantic 10, with three runs, three RBI and a .667 on-base percentage over three games. He also broke a 7-7 tie in the ninth inning of Sunday's win with a two-run single. Meanwhile, Faso hit .471 with three RBI, two runs and a .526 on-base percentage. His eight hits over the weekend were the most by any player in the A-10.
EXPLORERS OPEN WITH TWO WINS
For the first time since the 2015 season, La Salle earned two wins in its opening series, splitting a four-game series at Presbyterian. After dropping the opener, 7-3, the Explorers bounced back with a 5-4 win in game two on Saturday. Presbyterian took the third game, but La Salle then exploded for 16 runs and 15 hits in a 16-7 win in the series finale.
Redshirt junior
Greg Paprocki went four shutout innings in the second game, giving up just one hit while striking out five. Sophomore
Ryan Guckin delivered a two-run double in the third inning, and La Salle hung on, as senior
Austin Constantini registered his first save of the year.
It was a hit parade in the fourth game, with both teams combining for 29 hits. The Explorers came through in the clutch, scoring nine runs in the ninth inning to break a 7-7 tie and capture the 16-7 win. Simon broke things open with a two-run single to put La Salle ahead for good in the ninth. Constantini, Faso and junior
Connor Hinchliffe each posted three hits apiece in the victory. Simon, Faso, Hinchliffe and juniors
Brian Tagoe and
Peyton Sorrels combined for 12 RBI. The 16 runs were the most for the Explorers since April 8, 2016.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
The Citadel went 1-2 over the opening weekend. The Bulldogs opened with a 3-0 win over A-10 member George Mason on Friday but then fell to No. 13 Louisville on Saturday, 8-3, and A-10 opponent Richmond on Sunday, 13-3.
Cameron Jensen leads the team with a .750 batting average, while William Kinney is hitting .444 with three RBI and two runs scored. On the mound, Dylan Spence went seven shutout innings, surrendering just four hits and striking out four in the win over George Mason. Jordan Buster earned the win against the Patriots, striking out five over two scoreless, hitless innings.
SCOUTING THE HAWKS
Maryland Eastern Shore had each of its first six games cancelled due to inclement weather. The Hawks will hit the road to take on Winthrop in a three-game series over the weekend before welcoming the Explorers on Tuesday.
The Hawks return three of their top hitters from a season ago in Joey Nicastro, Ryan Rotondo and Tyler Friis. Nicastro led the team with a .301 average, Rotondo was second in RBI with 26, and Friis led the squad with 27 runs. As for the pitching staff, Marty Tolson, Jr. and Toby Hoskins were tied for second on the team in strikeouts a year ago.
NEW LEADERSHIP
David Miller was hired as the tenth head coach in program history in June and will guide the Explorers for the first time in 2018.
Miller came to La Salle after a successful run as head varsity coach at William Penn Charter School. His Penn Charter teams posted a .757 winning percentage during his four years at the helm, and prior to that, Miller was an assistant coach at Villanova. He was a consensus All-American at Clemson during his playing days and played eight seasons professionally after being chosen as the 23rd overall selection in the 1995 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians.
CORE RETURNERS
The Explorers bring back most of their roster from a season ago, with 23 players returning for 2018. The team also added nine freshmen to the group in addition to one transfer.
La Salle's top four hitters are back this year, including senior
Austin Constantini, who led the team with a .304 batting average a season ago. Junior first baseman
Ben Faso is also back after hitting .290 and leading the squad with six home runs and 26 RBI in 2017, and classmate
Kevin McGowan, who led the Explorers with 26 runs scored and hit .283, returns at second base.
On the mound, La Salle returns Big 5 Rookie of the Year
Matt Holt. The sophomore right-hander was second on the team with 56 strikeouts last year and went 2-3 with a 3.97 ERA, landing on the A-10 All-Rookie Team. Constantini also served as the closer and appeared in 12 games on the mound, posting a team-best 2.16 ERA with five saves.
