LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Six Explorers posted multi-hit games as the La Salle University baseball team piled up 14 runs on a season-high 15 hits at Rider Tuesday, leading to a 14-4 victory in seven innings.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Junior Jack Cucinotta started the scoring with a solo bomb over the left field fence, his third home run of the season and second in three games, to provide the Explorers with an early 1-0 lead.
• The Explorers then broke through for three more runs in the third inning, with sophomore Nick O'Day hitting a two-run single through the right side, followed by an RBI single by fellow sophomore Matt Rivera to open up a four-run advantage.
• La Salle exploded for five runs in the fourth to take a commanding 9-0 lead. Senior Ryan Guckin started it off by driving in junior Alfonse Sadallah on a hit-and-run single to right field. Three more runs came in on a Rivera single and a throwing error, and then Rivera scored on a fielding error to make it a nine-run difference.
• Rider put runners in scoring position in the third and fourth, but junior Mike Jenkins escaped the jam both times to preserve the shutout.
• The Broncs got on the board in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk before junior James Kelly ended the threat with a strikeout to close the inning.
• La Salle broke things open with five more runs in the seventh. Cucinotta started it with an RBI single to score Sadallah, and then sophomore Tatem Levins scored on a throwing error to make it 11-1.
• Still in the seventh, freshman David Smith laced his first collegiate home run, a three-run liner to right to stretch the lead to 13 at 14-1.
• Rider put up three runs in the bottom of the seventh before the game was called final after seven innings due to darkness.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Rivera led the way, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Additionally, Levins, Guckin, Cucinotta, O'Day and Smith all had two-hit days for the Explorers.
• Levins scored three runs, as did Sadallah, who also walked twice. Guckin and Cucinotta both scored two runs apiece as well, while Smith added two stolen bases.
• Jenkins surrendered just one run on four hits over 4.2 innings on the mound. Kelly tossed 1.1 scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts.

UP NEXT

• The Explorers finally return home for a three-game series against Wagner, beginning Friday with a 3 p.m. first pitch.