PHILADELPHIA – Junior catcher Tatem Levins hit a walk-off single as the La Salle University baseball team rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to defeat Coppin State, 11-10, at Hank DeVincent Field on Sunday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• La Salle looked like it was going to cruise to victory after scoring five runs in the opening inning.
• Sophomore Connor Coolahan scored the first run on a fielder's choice by graduate student Ryan Guckin and then redshirt sophomore Nick Di Vietro drove in Levins on a single to left center, making it 2-0.
• Guckin scored on a passed ball just moments later and then Di Vietro scored on an error before senior Tommy Toal hit an RBI single to score freshman Will Binder for the 5-0 advantage.
• The Eagles slowly chipped away at the lead, however, with a run in the second and another in the third, and then they flipped the game completely when Darren Hagan hit a three-run home run to cap a four-run fourth inning to thrust Coppin State in front, 6-5.
• The Explorers responded in the fifth as sophomore Elijah Dickerson knocked in Levins to tie the game on an RBI groundout, and then Guckin scored on a throwing error to put La Salle back on top, 7-6.
• But the back-and-forth game continued in the sixth, with Coppin State scoring two runs to regain the lead, and the Eagles opened up a 10-7 advantage in the eighth with another pair of runs.
• Trailing by three in the bottom of the ninth, senior Alfonse Sadallah, Di Vietro and Binder all walked to load the bases for Toal, who delivered a two-run single down the right field line to make it a one-run game. Two batters later, Coolahan drove in Binder on an RBI groundout to tie things up at 10 apiece.
• Then Levins stepped in and worked a full count before driving a single to center field, allowing Toal to sprint home from second base for the game-winning run.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Levins finished 2-for-5 with two runs, a triple and a walk to go with the walk-off RBI, while Toal also went 2-for-5 with three RBI. Coolahan had two hits as well while also stealing two bases.
• Sophomore Jordan Morales picked up his first career win on the mound after throwing a scoreless ninth inning, while sophomore Dylan Maria struck out six while allowing just one hit and one earned run over 2.2 innings pitched.

UP NEXT

• The Explorers will have some time off before linking up with George Mason again for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 20. First pitch of game one is set for noon.