Baseball | May 6, 2021
PHILADELPHIA – When La Salle and Saint Joseph's take the field for a four-game series this weekend at Hank DeVincent Field, there will be far more on the line than usual. It'll be a battle for Atlantic 10 positioning as the Explorers enter the weekend in first place and the Hawks right behind in second. Furthermore, La Salle will host its Senior Day prior to Saturday's doubleheader.
THE MATCHUPS (vs. Saint Joseph's – 4 Games)
- Game 1: Fri., 3 p.m. – Colin Scanlon (5-2) vs. Ian McCole (2-2)
- Game 2: Sat., 11 a.m. – Frank Elissalt (5-2) vs. Ryan Devine (2-2)
- Game 3: Sat., 2 p.m. – Jordan Morales (1-4) vs. Noah Weber (1-1)
- Game 4: Sun., 12 p.m. – Gabe Rappa (2-1) vs. Lucas Rollins (2-1)
SATURDAY SENIOR DAY
LAST TIME OUT
- The Explorers took one of three games against Penn last weekend, winning in dramatic fashion on Friday before dropping a doubleheader on Saturday.
- On Friday, freshman Will Binder hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to give La Salle its 26th win of the season, 7-6. Binder (3-5, 3 RBI) was one of three Explorers to have three hits on the day, joining junior Nick O'Day (3-5, 2 RBI) and sophomore Elijah Dickerson (3-5, 2 R).
- On Saturday, the Explorers erased a four-run deficit in game one and came within a run in the seventh inning, 7-6, but La Salle couldn't quite complete the comeback. The Quakers then jumped ahead early in game two and never looked back.
- Guckin had a major showing in Saturday's first game, going 4-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, a triple and an RBI. For the week, that also included a 16-11 win at Towson, Guckin hit .500 with seven runs, two doubles, two triples and a home run.
ON A HISTORIC PACE
- After playing out of conference last weekend, La Salle held firm in first place in the Atlantic 10 Conference standings with a 9-3 league record. That's the Explorers' best A-10 start ever since the team joined the league in 1996. La Salle holds a one-game lead over Saint Joseph's in the North Division. Only the top four teams will make the Atlantic 10 Championship this year.
- The Explorers are still off to their best start ever through 41 games at 26-15 overall. That puts this year's team fourth in program history in wins. The school record is 31 wins set by the 1985 team that made the NCAA tournament. That team was just 25-16 through 41 games.
- The Explorers have been getting it done on the road this season with a 14-6 record as the away team, including 12-3 over the last 15. La Salle has also been solid at home as of late, winning seven of their last 10 games at Hank DeVincent Field.
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS
- Ryan Guckin has been writing his name all over the team record book this season. Guckin recently moved into a tie for second place on the program's single-season triples list with six this season, which ranks second in the nation. He needs only one more to tie Sam Boone ('85) for the school record of seven. The first baseman is also tied for fifth in the program for career doubles with 45. In addition, he has 17 doubles this season, which is tied for seventh most in the program and is currently tied for third in the country. Guckin needs just one more double for sixth and two more to move into a tie for fourth on the single-season list.
- Jack Cucinotta has been racing his way up the program's all-time ranks for stolen bases. Cucinotta has 41 career stolen bases, which ranks sixth in school history. He needs four more to move into fifth place all-time. The center fielder has 23 stolen bases this season, which puts him seventh on the program's single-season list and ranks ninth in the nation. He needs just one more to move into sixth place and two more for fifth.
- Frank Elissalt has 76 strikeouts this season, good for seventh on the program's single-season ranks. He needs only one more to move into fourth place and nine more to move into third. Elissalt (5-2) also only needs one more win to move into sixth place in single-season wins.
- Colin Scanlon has 153 career strikeouts, which ranks 10th in school history. Scanlon is 29 strikeouts away from Jeff La Porta in ninth place. With 60 strikeouts this season, he is now just eight away from 10th on the program's single-season list, and at 5-2, he is also just one win away from sixth place in single-season victories.
- Colin Kennedy has five saves this season, needing only one more to tie for 10th on the program's single-season saves list.
- Tatem Levins has 40 RBI this season, as he needs 10 more to tie himself (2019) and two others for 10th place in single-season history.
SCOUTING SAINT JOSEPH'S
- The Hawks enter the weekend at 14-12 overall, 8-4 in the Atlantic 10 and 6-4 on the road.
- Saint Joseph's snuck past Bucknell on Wednesday at home, overcoming a two-run deficit to win 5-4.
- The Hawks' strength is their offense, hitting a .279/.393/.447 slash line as a team. Brendan Hueth leads the team with a .386 batting average and a .471 on-base percentage to go with 20 RBI. Andrew Cossetti is batting .333 with a team-high eight homers, while Nate Thomas has seven long balls and 35 RBI.
- On the mound, Saint Joe's has a team ERA of 5.31 and a 1.52 WHIP. Leading the rotation has been Lucas Rollins (2-1, 3.48 ERA), Ian McCole (2-2, 3.56 ERA) and Luke Zimmerman (1-3, 7.80 ERA).
