NEWARK, Del. – Senior Ben Faso was a perfect 4-of-4 at the plate with three runs, including a home run, leading the way for a 4-2 road victory for the La Salle University baseball team at Delaware on Tuesday.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Faso put the Explorers ahead early with one swing of the bat, sending his third home run of the season to left field for a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
• Faso led off the fourth with a single and after advancing to third base, freshman Nick O'Day knocked him in with an RBI single through the left side to extend the advantage to two runs.
• It was the Faso-O'Day combination providing the scoring for La Salle again in the sixth, as Faso scored for the third time on another RBI single by O'Day, this one to center field for a 3-0 lead.
• Sophomore Mike Jenkins had a stellar day as the La Salle starter on the mound and allowed only four singles over his 5.2 scoreless innings. Junior Niko Jenkins took over with two outs in the sixth and struck out the final batter swinging to end the inning and preserve the three-run advantage.
• Delaware threatened with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh, but sophomore James Kelly managed to work his way out of the jam with a popup, strikeout and afly out to get the Explorers to the eighth inning.
• The Blue Hens ended any shutout ideas in the bottom of the eighth, however, behind a two-run triple by Joseph Carpenter. But sophomore Colin Scanlon got back-to-back groundouts to leave Carpenter stranded on third.
• Freshman Ross Mulhall then provided a key insurance in the top of the ninth, driving in his first collegiate run with a double to left to score sophomore Tommy Toal, extending the lead to 4-2.
• Senior Connor Hinchliffe, who leads all of college baseball in saves, entered in the ninth and struck out two on his way to his eighth save of the season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Faso was just a triple away from the cycle, hitting two doubles and a single to go along with his 12th career homer.
• Only 19 games into the season, Hinchliffe is a perfect 8-for-8 in save opportunities and has still yet to allow a single earned run over 12.2 innings. He is already seventh in school history in single season saves and only one away from being tied for fourth.
• Mike Jenkins (2-0) was strong on the mound, striking out six over 5.2 shutout innings of work with four hits while picking up his second win in as many attempts this year.
• La Salle (11-8) has already surpassed its win total from 2017 and is only three wins away from its 2018 total.

UP NEXT

• The Explorers will return home to host Fairleigh Dickinson at Hank DeVincent Field on Wednesday for a 3 p.m. first pitch.