Box Score Philadelphia, PA – La Salle used the long ball in timely fashion Saturday afternoon and dominated on the mound to secure its first Atlantic 10 Conference win since the sport returned to the school this year.
The Explorers' last A-10 victory came on May 16, 2021, at Fordham.
Kosei Suzuki, who was just slotted into the leadoff spot in the batting order at the beginning of the series, slugged a leadoff opposite field home run to break the ice.
Davidson briefly took a 2-1 lead, but Danny Perez hit a grand slam, lefty-on-lefty, over the right field wall as part of a six-run fourth to give La Salle the lead that it would not relent. The homer was Perez's 150
th career hit.
Carter Groen added on in that big fourth with a two-run double the other way, which made it 7-2. Groen, La Salle's RBI leader (39) added another when he doubled home
Chase Swain. Groen also cut down a run with an impressive throw home from right field to end a potential Davidson scoring threat in the sixth.
After allowing two runs on one hit in the second, La Salle starter
Jace Terry settled down to pitch three scoreless and keep the Explorers in the position they were to take the lead. Terry then spun a shutdown top of the fifth after La Salle reclaimed the lead in the fourth.
Off the heels of going a career-best eight innings last Saturday at VCU, the freshman posted a final line of 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, and a career-high 6 strikeouts.
Terry handed the ball off to
Hudson Narke after the fifth, and Narke dazzled out of the bullpen to hold the lead with three scoreless. The junior transfer from Elon was in cruise control, striking out a season-high four.
Titus Shay threw a perfect ninth inning with a pair of strikeouts to secure the victory for La Salle.
The Explorers will go for the series victory tomorrow afternoon at 12:00 pm in the rubber game of the three-game set against the Wildcats. That Fordham win on May 2021 was also the last time La Salle won an A-10 series.
