Hanover, MD – Owen MacDonnell turned in the best start for a La Salle pitcher this season and that was more than enough for the Explorers' offense in a 10-2 victory Coppin State in the weekend series opener Friday afternoon.
The graduate lefty was stellar, going seven innings and striking out eight – both season-bests for La Salle pitchers. He scattered four hits on two walks, allowing just two runs (one earned) on 101 pitches.
MacDonnell worked around a two-run Coppin State second inning which tied the game at two, and La Salle responded by scoring eight unanswered to secure its sixth victory of the season (6-2).
At the plate, La Salle saw contributions up and down the lineup, with
Ryan Albin,
Chase Swain, and
Rueben Livingston leading the way with two RBI each. Livingston hit his third home run in four games with a solo shot in the fifth.
Carter Groen and
Justin Szestowicki each had a pair of hits and an RBI, while
Alec Welshans and Danny Perez each drove in runs as well.
With one out in the third, Groen stole third base and scored on a passed ball to give the Explorers a 3-2 lead that they would not relent.
Livingston hit his home run in the fifth inning to make it 4-2. The redshirt-junior homered Wednesday at Delaware and went yard in the first game of the Delaware State series last Friday.
La Salle then put the game out of reach with a six-run seventh. Perez drew a bases-loaded walk, next batter Albin kept the line moving with a two-run single, both scored on a triple from Swain, and then Groen singled home swain to cap off the big inning.
Titus Shay and
Dylan Duke finished off the game on the mound for La Salle, tossing scoreless eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
Through five innings this season (three appearances), Shay is perfect on the mound. The redshirt-junior has struck out nine of the 15 batters faced, retiring all in order.
La Salle struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the second, courtesy of RBI from Szestowicki and Welshans. Coppin State responded in the bottom, though, with two of its own before MacDonnell settled down and put up five zeros to end his afternoon.
The two teams are back in action tomorrow afternoon with first pitch set for 1:00 pm from Joe Cannon Stadium in Hanover.
