PHILADELPHIA – Junior left-handed pitcher Jackson Ray struck out seven over seven scoreless innings and the Explorers scored three runs in the seventh inning as the La Salle University baseball team shut out Rider, 3-0, from Hank DeVincent Field on Saturday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ray racked up five strikeouts over the first four innings, and with a runner on third in the fifth frame, he got the final batter to fly out to keep the game scoreless.
• La Salle had an opportunity to strike in the second inning with men on second and third, but the Explorers couldn't capitalize.
• The Explorers did all of their damage in the seventh. Freshman Tatem Levins drove in the go-ahead run in sophomore Jack Cucinotta on a sacrifice fly to right field to start the scoring.
• Senior Brian Tagoe followed that up with an RBI triple to deep left center to bring home senior Kevin McGowan. Tagoe then scored on an RBI single by sophomore Tommy Toal to open up a 3-0 lead.
• Junior Erik Janss took over pitching duties in the eighth and registered a 1-2-3 inning to preserve the shutout.
• Senior Connor Hinchliffe then came in to close the game in the ninth, getting out of a jam by striking out the final batter looking to convert his fourth save of the year.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• At 4-1 overall, La Salle is off to its best start since 2004 and has four wins in February for the first time since 2015.
• Ray (1-1) scattered just five hits in the combined shutout. He, Janss and Hinchliffe combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed six hits.
• Toal went 2-for-3 on the day for the Explorers, while Riley Mihalik was 3-for-4 for the Broncs.

UP NEXT

• Depending on the weather, La Salle will try to sweep the three-game home series on Sunday, with first pitch at 1 p.m.