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La Salle baseball
Facing an uncertain future, La Salle's baseball program is doing everything it can to demonstrate on the field why the university should keep baseball. The club is 20-12 on the season and hit the 20-win mark faster than any La Salle team dating back to 1982. Here are three reasons why the Philadelphia baseball community needs to rally behind this club: 

Reason #1: It's a quality product 
Look, La Salle likely isn't going to Omaha this year. That said, the program has turned a corner and the entire roster, including coaches and assistants, are deserving of a ton of credit. This year's club is arguably the best the Explorers have had in almost three decades. They currently sit at the top of the North Division in the Atlantic 10 and have a legitimate shot at running deep into the conference tourney - with a real possibility of winning the whole thing. For a small school in the northeast, that's a big deal. For a program that entered the season with its future in doubt, it's an incredible storyline. 

Reason #2: Head coach David Miller 
This guy works. He's been an outstanding addition to the baseball community in Philadelphia and has done a tremendous job in bringing top-ranked talent to a school that's hovered in mediocrity for far too long. He made it clear that he wanted to make La Salle a baseball powerhouse, specifically, one of the better programs in the northeast - an area that's tough to build in. He's delivered multiple top-ranked recruiting classes and mixed in some of the best high school talents from the Philadelphia region. 

Reason #3: The support is there 
La Salle alum James Santore has been vocal about his desire to save the team. He, along with a group of former players, has raised nearly $500,000 in an effort to provide financial stability to the program. They've shared concepts and ideas with the administration, but it seems the goalposts keep moving. Sources contend the administration has asked the program to raise $9-million to remain viable. It's an unfair ask. Though nothing is official, the program could be entering its final days. 

This La Salle team, given the circumstances, has been one of the best stories to come out of a bizarre college baseball season that's been mired by COVID-related cancellations and scheduling issues. 

Freshman Frank Elissalt looks to be one of the best freshman hurlers on the coast, while Tatem Levins is on pace to drive in 60 runs, a mark that's been hit just twice in program history. 

This team has life and a roster that's full of talent. 

It's deserving of a future. 
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Follow Patrick on Twitter: @PGordonPBR

BY PATRICK GORDON
Managing Editor
pgordon@philadelphiabaseballreview.com

3 Comments

Anonymous said…
This article is right on. Too bad the university prefers to remain mediocre by allowing the excitement of their baseball program and its talented roster of student athletes to be cancellled.
Anonymous said…
LaSalle’s athletic director is only interested in getting a new
multi-million dollar basketball arena built to bolster his own resume. Then he can move on to bigger and better opportunities with little regard for the destruction he leaves behind.
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