BRONX, N.Y. – The La Salle University baseball team (31-17, 14-5 A-10) tied the program record for wins in a season as it notched its 31st victory in a doubleheader split against Fordham on Saturday.
 
In pursuit of history, the Explorers overcame a four-run deficit in the second game to rally with eight unanswered. La Salle got to work in the second inning with six runs and senior Nick O'Day launched a solo shot in the sixth to cap the comeback.
 
Game 1 – Fordham 4, La Salle 2 (F/7)
 

• The Blue & Gold opened its account in the second inning courtesy of senior Jack Cucinotta. La Salle's center fielder doubled to left center on a full count, scoring senior Alfonse Sadallah and redshirt sophomore Nick Di Vietro.
• Freshman Frank Elissalt pitched strongly through three, allowing one hit and striking out four.
• The Rams chipped away at the deficit in the fourth inning, scoring on a wild pitch and a sac fly to tie the game. An RBI single from Jack Harnisch then gave the home team the lead.
• Fordham extended its advantage in the sixth inning to finish the game at 4-2.

 
Game 2 – La Salle 8, Fordham 4 (F/7)
 

• The Rams picked up where they left off, striking for four runs in the first inning.
• Not to be deterred, the Explorers battled back in the second frame, beginning with a tough at-bat from Sadallah who singled on a full count to score Di Vietro.
• La Salle's small ball continued as Cucinotta took one for the team, a hit-by-pitch that brought in freshman Will Binder.
• Junior Tatem Levins walked to score Sadallah, followed by a bases-loaded, two-RBI single from sophomore Elijah Dickerson to give La Salle a 5-4 lead.
• O'Day concluded the scoring run with a sacrifice fly to push the lead to two runs.
• Binder got in on the action in the fifth with an RBI single. An inning later, O'Day sent a shot over the left field wall to make it 8-4 to the visitors.
• Sophomore Jordan Morales recovered well after the opening frame, pitching four scoreless innings and allowing one hit to keep the Rams at bay while the offense surged.
• Redshirt freshman Colin Yablonski took the mound in the sixth and stymied Fordham in two innings of relief, striking out three.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 

• At 31-17, La Salle has its sights set firmly on breaking the program record set by the 31-win team in 1985.
• With five game remaining, the Blue & Gold sits firmly atop the Atlantic 10 North with a 14-5 mark – four more wins than second-place Rhode Island at 10-5. La Salle's conference winning percentage of .737 is bettered only by VCU at .812.
• With six strikeouts in the opening game, rookie ace Elissalt moved into second place all-time for most strikeouts in a single campaign with 92. He overtakes Dan Waters' mark of 90 set in 2006 and trails only Will Fleck's 1997 season (107 Ks).
• Cucinotta led all players on the day with three RBIs, knocking in two in Game 1 and one in Game 2. O'Day and Dickerson followed with two RBIs, all of which came in the second contest.
• Di Vietro was a perfect 3-3 at the dish in the second contest and he wasn't the only Explorer busy on the base paths. Eight different players recorded runs.
• After the first inning in Game 2, Morales and Yablonski combined to shut down Fordham's offense to the tune of six strikeouts, no walks, and only three hits across the final six innings.

 
UP NEXT
 

• La Salle will look to make history on Sunday with one more game in the Bronx. First pitch is at noon and will be streamed on ESPN+.