Philadelphia, PA – La Salle's bats stayed hot into the morning after a
historic Opening Day performance, as the Explorers erupted for 14 runs in a 14-2 seven-inning victory over Maryland Eastern Shore, clinching the series victory.
The Explorers plated three in the fourth inning, four in the fifth, two in the sixth, and then five in the seventh to enact the mercy rule.
Ryan Perez ended the game with one swing, knocking a three-run homer over the right field wall in the bottom of the seventh to make it 14-2, which brings the ten-run after seven-innings rule into effect.
Alec Welshans got the scoring started for La Salle, clubbing his second home run in as many days on a deep drive over the right field fence to tie the game at two in the top of the fourth. Later in the inning,
Carter Groen drove home
Ryan Albin on a sacrifice fly to give the La Salle a 3-2 lead which it would not relent.
Groen struck again in the fifth, driving home three on a double to center to give La Salle a 7-2 advantage. Saturday was Groen's second four-RBI performance on the season, giving the redshirt sophomore a team-best 8 RBI on the young season.
The Explorers ended the game with the five-run seventh.
Rueben Livingston got things started with an RBI double, then
Jayden Novak traded places with Livingston to set the table for Perez's walk off shot.
On the mound, La Salle received a complete effort from starter
Owen MacDonnell and relievers
Hudson Narke and
Bruce Wadiak. MacDonnell struck out four on two walks, allowing two runs and four hits in 4 2/3 innings for the win. Narke and Wadiak each struck out a batter in scoreless innings to hold the lead for the Explorers.
Maryland Eastern Shore briefly lead after a two-run top of the fourth inning, including a solo homer by Jonathan Gonzalez-Perez to break the ice on a brisk morning.
La Salle wasted no time getting back even, though, as Perez doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth, and Welshans' homer came in the next at bat.
La Salle goes for the series sweep Sunday with a noon first pitch.
Ryan Brown is scheduled to start for the Explorers.
