PHILADELPHIA - The La Salle University baseball team held a three-run lead in game one and a four-run lead in game two, but the Explorers couldn't hang on to either, as Dayton took a doubleheader from Hank DeVincent Field on Saturday, 9-5 and 9-7.

Game 1: Dayton 9, La Salle 5

• The Explorers got off to a quick start, tallying three runs in the opening inning.
• Each of La Salle's first four batters reached base and senior Peyton Sorrels scored the opening run on a double by freshman Tatem Levins. Then one day after posting his 200th career hit, senior Ben Faso added to his total with a single through the right side, bringing home sophomore Jack Cucinotta along with Levins for a 3-0 lead.
• Junior Colin Kennedy got off to a blazing start as well, holding the Flyers hitless over the first three innings and struck out all three batters he retired in the third.
• However, Dayton's Alex Brickman tied the game up with one swing of the bat on a three-run double down the left field line.
• The score remained 3-3 until the top of the eighth when Benjamin Blackwell pushed Dayton ahead on an RBI triple. The Flyers would add two more unearned runs in the inning to take a 6-3 lead, and then tacked on three more in the ninth to make it 9-3.
• Senior Brian Tagoe smacked a two-run home run to right field to score freshman Nick O'Day to make it 9-5 in the bottom of the ninth, but the deficit was too steep to overcome.

Game 2: Dayton 9, La Salle 7

• Senior Mike Anthony worked his way through the first two innings with little difficulty before Dayton got it going in the third. The Flyers scored three runs all with two outs in the frame, capped off by a Riley Tirotta homer.
• Yet the Explorers were not fazed and rallied right back in the bottom of the third. Sophomore Tommy Toal drove home freshman Ross Mulhall as he reached on a throwing error, also allowing Tagoe to score to make it 3-2. Toal later scored on a fielding error on a ball hit by catcher Brett Simon to tie the game at three all.
• Still in the third, sophomore Jack Cucinotta delivered the go-ahead swing, sending a two-run bomb over the left field fence to score Simon, pushing La Salle in front 5-3.
• Faso added to the lead the very next inning with a single through the left side, scoring Mulhall for a 6-3 advantage.
• It was Faso again providing the insurance in the sixth as he knocked in Tagoe on an RBI groundout to extend the lead to 7-3.
• But things turned sour for the home team in the seventh inning as the Flyers scored five runs on three hits and an error to suddenly jump in front, 8-7. Dayton added another run in the eighth and held on for the sweep.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Kennedy racked up a season-high eight strikeouts while scattering only three runs on three hits over five innings of work in game one.
• Sorrels and Faso each had two hits apiece in the first game.
• Niko Jenkins pitched in both games, while senior Connor Hinchliffe tossed a scoreless inning of relief in the finale.
• McGowan went 2-for-5 in game two and Faso drove in two runs.

UP NEXT

• La Salle will hit the road next, visiting Fordham for a three-game series starting on Friday at 6 p.m.