ARLINGTON, Va. – The La Salle University baseball team totaled 14 hits, but the comeback attempt fell short at George Washington on Saturday in game two of the Explorers' first Atlantic 10 Conference series of the season.
 
The Explorers registered double-digit hits for the second straight game and 13th time this season. La Salle falls to 5-15 overall and 0-2 in the A-10, while the Colonials improved to 11-11 and 2-0 in league play.
 
George Washington quickly scored a run in each of the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead heading to the third.
 
La Salle chipped away at the deficit in the third inning, as senior Brian Dudeck drove home junior Ben Faso on a single through the left side. The Explorers then evened the score at two in the fourth when Faso reached on an error, allowing redshirt sophomore Dillon Malandro to score the tying run.
 
The Colonials regained the advantage in the next inning as Robbie Metz hit a two-run homer to spark a four-hit, three-run fifth to put the home team on top, 5-2.
 
Still, La Salle continued to battle back, and the deficit was cut to two in the sixth when freshman Manny Garcia singled to left center, scoring junior Kevin McGowan. The Explorers then pulled within just a run in the seventh, with sophomore Dylan Evans hitting a leadoff double and scoring on an RBI single by junior Brett Simon.
 
Sophomore Jackson Ray started the game but left early after a play at the plate, bringing freshman Colin Kennedy to the mound. Kennedy struck out four over 3.1 innings of relief before junior Mike Anthony entered in the sixth. Anthony threw three shutout innings, striking out one and allowing just two hits.
 
Five Explorers had multi-hit game, with eight recording a hit in the contest. Constantini was 3-for-5, while Faso, Dudeck, Garcia and Evans all had two hits apiece.
 
La Salle will conclude its opening A-10 series at George Washington on Sunday. First pitch is set for noon.