Philadelphia, PA – La Salle hit four home runs on a long afternoon of baseball at Hank DeVincent Field, but it was not enough to overcome the Atlantic 10-leading Saint Joseph's in Friday's doubleheader.

The Hawks took Game One, 6-5, and Game Two, 15-6, to extend their lead in the A-10 to 5.5 games.

Justin Szestowicki homered in both games to lead La Salle, also recording two hits in each contest with a combined five RBI and three runs scored.

Alec Welshans entered the weekend series with a chance to overtake the A-10 lead in home runs while facing off directly against the conference leader, Saint Joseph's Blake Primrose. With a homer in Game One, Welshans got even for the conference lead, slugging his 15^th of the season on a deep drive to left center. Primrose, however, homered in Game Two, setting a seesaw battle for the home run lead entering Sunday.

Carter Groen extended his A-10 lead in RBI to 59 after driving in a pair during Game One, including a solo homer to center for his 11^th of the year. Groen is also competing with Primrose for the conference lead and currently holds a 59-52 advantage in the category.

Game 1

Saint Joseph's jumped ahead to leads of 5-1 and 6-2 entering the eighth inning, but La Salle, as it has for many of its A-10 games this year, clawed back on offense to get right back in the game.

In the bottom of the eighth, Szestowicki hit a two-run homer – his first at Hank DeVincent Field – and Welshans hit a solo shot two batters later to make it a 6-5 ballgame.

Saint Joseph's, however, shut the door in the ninth.

La Salle managed just five hits and committed four errors in the field.

Starter Owen MacDonnell battled against the Hawks' high-powered offense, which is third in the conference in hits and second in average. The lefty allowed just two earned runs in six innings pitched, scattering four hits and striking out three.

Dylan Duke, a Saint Joseph's transfer, entered the game with the bases loaded and two out in the top of the ninth and struck out his batter to leave them stranded and keep it a one-run ballgame.

Game 2

Saint Joseph's jumped out to a 6-0 lead and this time never looked back, striking for 15 runs on 14 hits and scoring in seven of the nine innings played.

The Explorers again used the long ball to fight back in the fifth and cut it to a three-run game, 7-4, when Szestowicki hit a three-run shot for his second of the day. The Hawks, however, responded with a three-run homer of their own in the top of the sixth en route to scoring seven straight runs through the seventh.

Rueben Livingston and Tyler Morgan added RBI singles in the seventh and ninth innings, respectfully, though both only cut the deficits to nine runs.

La Salle returns to action Sunday after the anticipated rain on Saturday. The Explorers will celebrate Senior Day before the game, as fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 11:45 so as to be ready for the ceremonies.