Philadelphia, PA — La Salle opened its homestead with an offensive onslaught to outlast Iona, 18-13, in a non-conference midweek game Wednesday afternoon at Hank DeVincent Field — the first of four-straight on 20th and Olney this week-into-weekend. 

Alec Welshans and Kosei Suzuki each hit three-run home runs while Chase Swain also drove in three to lead the Explorers' offense, which collected 17 total hits and scored all 18 runs by the sixth inning. 

Welshans improved his team-leading home run tally to nine while Carter Groen, who also had three hits, drove in a pair of runs to improve his team-best RBI mark to 48. As of the end of the game Wednesday, Groen's 48 RBI are tied for third-most in the nation with Landon Hairston of Arizona State. 

Dom Tilden's first two collegiate hits helped manufacture runs from the bottom of the order, with the freshman scoring three times and driving in one. Daniel Perez, Justin Szestowicki, Ryan Perez, and Tyler Morgan also contributed RBIs. 

Iona struck first with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first, but La Salle responded immediately with five in the bottom and never looked back. Szestowicki and Ryan Perez got things started with RBI singles, and Welshans put an exclamation mark on the inning with a long home run to left center to make it 5-1. 

Iona came back in the second to make it a one-run game, 5-4, but La Salle again responded in the bottom, when Suzuki crushed a three-run home over the left field wall to make it 8-4. Since becoming an everyday starter at the top of the order on March 18, Suzuki has nine RBI and six extra base hits (three home runs) with six stolen bases, including one on Wednesday. 

La Salle stretched the lead to as large as 17-4 in the fifth inning before Iona scored five in the top of the sixth to make it 17-9. The Explorers threatened to flirt with the mercy rule after Ty Morgan's RBI double scored Welshans in the bottom of the sixth to make it 18-9, but Morgan was stranded in scoring position and Iona cut the deficit to five with four runs between the seventh and eighth. 

After Iona had scored in each of the first two innings, La Salle went to the bullpen and Dante Edwardi answered the call, delivering two scoreless between the third and fourth, allowing the offense to provide a cushion with one in the third — a Chase Swain score on a wild pitch — and four in the fourth. 

Swain was front and center setting the table in that big fourth inning, which saw the Explorers score all four runs with two outs and were gifted the chance to continue the inning on a would-be third out error by the Gaels' infield. Swain kicked a two-run triple the other way down the right field line and then scored on an RBI single off the bat of Groen. Daniel Perez later scored on a passed ball to make it 13-3. 

The lead reached its high point the next inning, when Tilden and Swain worked bases-loaded walks, Daniel Perez hit a bases-loaded fielder's choice to score a run, and Groen hit his second RBI single is as many innings to score Tilden and make it 17-4. 

La Salle's four-game homestand continues on Thursday with the first game of an Atlantic 10 Conference series with Richmond. First pitch is set for 3:00 pm from Hank DeVincent Field.