PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle University baseball team was just one out away from victory, but Saint Joseph's rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to force extra innings and then completed the comeback with the game-winning run in the 10th, as the Explorers dropped the final game of the series, 6-5.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• La Salle started the game off by loading the bases with no outs, but the Explorers couldn't capitalize.
• The Explorers took a 2-0 lead in the third inning after loading the bases once again. Sophomore Jack Cucinotta was hit by pitch with the bags full, scoring senior Kevin McGowan, and then senior Ben Faso crossed the plate later when freshman Ross Mulhall beat out an infield single.
• However, Saint Joe's answered with two runs of its own in the bottom half of the third to tie the game.
• Sophomore Colin Kennedy kept the Hawks quiet over the first five innings and then the Explorers jumped back in front in the sixth.
• McGowan put La Salle ahead with an RBI single to center field to knock in senior Peyton Sorrels. Freshman Tatem Levins later singled through the right side, driving home McGowan and sophomore Tommy Toal for a 5-2 lead.
• Mike Anthony, Erik Janss and Malik Brown each threw scoreless innings of relief in the sixth, seventh and eighth to set Connor Hinchliffe up for a shot at his 11th save.
• But the Hawks scored three times in the ninth and tied the game with two outs, and after a diving catch by Faso in right ended the inning, the two squads went to extra innings.
•  Jake Artz then hit a sacrifice fly to score Dominic Cuoci for the game-winning run in the 10th.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Kennedy allowed just one earned run on four hits over his five innings of work with a pair of strikeouts.
• McGowan was 3-for-4 with two runs, two walks and an RBI. Toal and Levins both had two-hit games as well.

UP NEXT

• La Salle will host Saint Peter's on Tuesday at 3 p.m.