Baseball | March 11, 2019

PHILADELPHIA – Returning from a four-game road trip out west, the La Salle University baseball team will host a home game against Saint Peter's on Tuesday before making the trip to Delaware State on Wednesday.
 
LA SALLE SNAGS ONE FROM NEW MEXICO STATE

• The Explorers went head-on with one of the most dangerous lineups in the nation over the weekend and took the Aggies by surprise by winning the opening game of the series, 9-8.
• After New Mexico State easily swept Delaware in its previous four games, La Salle snapped the win streak with a comeback victory on Friday. Trailing 8-7 in the seventh inning, sophomore Tommy Toal delivered the go-ahead double and senior Connor Hinchliffe closed out his fifth save. Freshman Tatem Levins homered and senior Kevin McGowan was 3-for-3 with four runs.
• The Explorers managed to slow down the Aggies' potent offense in a doubleheader on Saturday but couldn't get their own offense going in 6-1 and 7-3 defeats.
• In the series finale, La Salle pulled within a run, 5-4, in the sixth before NM State pulled away late in a 16-5 setback. McGowan was 3-for-5, while Levins was 2-for-4. 
• The Explorers' pitching staff held the Aggies to seven runs per game over the first three contests - well below their NCAA-leading 15.4 run average entering the series. New Mexico State (14-3) entered the weekend receiving votes in the NCBWA National Poll.

SCOUTING SAINT PETER'S

• The Peacocks are 0-8 on the year and are 0-3 in road games.
• Saint Peter's last played on Wednesday, falling 21-2 to Central Michigan.
• Hunter Mason leads the team with a .346 batting average to go with seven runs, a .433 on-base percentage and a .500 slugging percentage. Peter Ferony leads the Peacocks with seven RBIs and has scored six runs.
• The Peacocks' weakness has been their pitching, with a team ERA of 15.27, while opponents are hitting .372 against them. Edwin Feliciano (0-1) and Mike Jenkins are Tuesday's projected starters.

SCOUTING DELAWARE STATE

• The Hornets begin the week at 5-7 overall to go with a 2-1 mark at home.
• Delaware State defeated UMBC, 6-5, on Sunday despite losing the series, 2-1.
• Miguel Rivera is the team's top hitter, batting .400 with five runs and a pair of stolen bases. As a team, however, the Hornets are batting just .213.
• Garrett Lawson (2-2, 2.96 ERA) has been the Hornets' work horse on the mound, striking out 27 over 24.1 innings. Sean McGrath (1-1, 3.50 ERA) and Darnell Maisonet (1-1, 4.00 ERA) have been efficient starters as well, while Jeremy Carrow (5.40 ERA) and Robert Shorts (1.08 ERA) have combined for three saves.