BROOKLYN – Trailing, 8-2, after seven innings, the La Salle University baseball team stormed back with six runs over the eighth and ninth innings to tie the game and force extra innings. Despite the heroic comeback, La Salle fell to Fairleigh Dickinson, 9-8, in 13 innings on Thursday from MCU Park.

Junior Connor Hinchliffe hit his second home run of the season to pull La Salle within a run in the ninth. Then with two outs, sophomore Dylan Evans was hit by pitch, and senior Yan Carlo Rivera pinch ran, stole second and eventually scored the game-tying run on a throwing error.

The Explorers led early on, as Hinchliffe scored the opening run on an RBI double to left by junior Brett Simon in the second inning. However, the Knights responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning and then added another on a homer by Evan McDonald in the third to take a 4-1 lead.

La Salle cut into the lead in the seventh when senior Austin Constantini drove home junior Peyton Sorrels on an RBI single, making it 4-2. But again, Fairleigh Dickinson had an answer, exploding for four runs on five hits in the bottom of the seventh to take a commanding six-run advantage.

The steep deficit didn't bother the Explorers though, as Sorrels responded with a two-run triple to right center, bringing in senior Chase Arnold and Hinchliffe. Sorrels then scored on an RBI groundout by Evans to cut the deficit to just two.

In the ninth, Hinchliffe drove the first pitch he saw deep past the left field fence to make it 8-7. Rivera then worked his way around the bases and scored as redshirt sophomore Dillon Malandro reached on an error.

The Explorers had opportunities to add to their total on multiple occasions but left the bases loaded in the eighth and tenth innings. Adam Frank won it for the Knights in the 13th on a one-out RBI single down the left field line.

Constantini went 3-for-7 with two RBI, while junior Ben Faso was 2-for-5 with a pair of walks. Hinchliffe went 1-for-3 with three runs and four walks while also making his first start on the mound, giving up four runs (one earned) and four hits over four innings with four strikeouts. Junior C.J. Pruitt drew the tough-luck loss despite throwing 5.1 strong innings with four strikeouts.

La Salle (4-11) will return home to Philadelphia for its home opener this weekend. The Explorers are slated to play Manhattan at 1 p.m. on Friday before hosting Wagner Saturday and Sacred Heart on Sunday.