PHILADELPHIA – Sophomore Jackson Ray pitched 6.2 scoreless innings, while classmate Matt Holt and junior C.J. Pruitt sealed the shutout, giving the La Salle University baseball team a 2-0 home victory over Sacred Heart on Sunday from Hank DeVincent Field. It was the Explorers' first shutout and first home win of the season.

Ray (1-1) picked up his first win of the season after giving up just two hits and striking out five. Holt was unhittable in 1.1 innings of relief, racking up three strikeouts along the way, and Pruitt recorded his first save of the year after closing out the victory in the ninth.

It was a pitcher's duel throughout, with the game still scoreless midway through the sixth inning. Ray had a no-hitter going until the top of the sixth when Matt Sorrento singled up the middle. The Pioneers threatened with two runners on and no outs, but Ray worked out of the inning and struck out the final batter to prevent any damage.

La Salle finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth, as junior Ben Faso drove home freshman Manny Garcia on a single through the left side, putting the Explorers up 1-0. Faso finished the day a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate.

Sacred Heart threatened again in the seventh with two on, but Holt came in and struck out Sorrento looking.

The Explorers added another insurance run in the eighth inning when junior Brian Tagoe scored on a wild pitch to give La Salle a 2-0 advantage. Pruitt then entered in the ninth and registered his first save since 2016, his freshman season.

La Salle (5-13) will begin Atlantic 10 play next, traveling to George Washington for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 3 p.m.