PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle University baseball team dropped the opening game of its three-game series with Atlantic 10 Conference leader Saint Louis on Friday, 5-0.

Billikens pitcher Miller Hogan (7-2) pitched a complete game and held the Explorers to just three hits in a shutout effort. Saint Louis scored one in the second inning and four runs in the fifth, and that was all it would need.

Junior Ben Faso led the Explorers, going 2-for-4 on the day, while classmate Brett Simon recorded the other La Salle hit. Sophomore Jackson Ray started on the mound and allowed five runs over five innings with two strikeouts. Relievers Mike Anthony and Matt Patricio combined to throw four shutout innings out of the bullpen.

Saint Louis scored its first run on a bases-loaded walk before Ray escaped without further damage. However, the Billikens added to their total with four runs in the fifth, capped off by an Alex King home run.

The two squads will meet for game two at Hank Devincent Field on Saturday at 2 p.m.