PHILADELPHIA — La Salle’s offense waited until it was needed most — and then overwhelmed Delaware State.
Rallying from early deficits in both games, the Explorers swept Friday’s doubleheader at Hank DeVincent Field, winning 13-4 in the opener and 9-8 in eight innings in the nightcap, which was called due to darkness.
La Salle (5-1 at home) has now scored 70 runs through its first five games at DeVincent Field.
Game 1: La Salle 13, Delaware State 4
After falling behind 4-0 on a pair of Delaware State home runs — including a three-run shot by Caleb King in the second and a solo homer by Jabril Bullock — La Salle answered with 13 unanswered runs.
The Explorers tied the game with four runs in the fourth. Ryan Perez tripled home Jayden Novak and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Alec Welshans. Chase Swain drove in Daniel Perez with a fielder’s choice, and Carter Groen added an RBI single to knot the score.
The decisive blow came in a 14-batter, eight-run sixth inning. With the game tied at four, Groen lined a two-run single to center. Rueben Livingston followed with his first home run of the season, a towering shot to left. Ryan Perez doubled home two more and later scored on a wild pitch, and Groen drew a bases-loaded hit by pitch later in the inning.
Groen finished with four RBIs, while Albin, Groen and Ryan Perez each recorded two hits.
Left-hander Owen MacDonnell (2-0) struck out seven over five innings, allowing four runs on three hits. After surrendering a solo homer in the third, he settled in, striking out six over his final three frames. The bullpen was dominant, as Shawn Karpaitis, Dylan Duke, Isaac Kopalchick and Lucas Edwards each tossed a scoreless inning. Kopalchick struck out the side in a perfect eighth.
Game 2: La Salle 9, Delaware State 8 (8 innings)
La Salle again faced a steep climb, trailing 7-0 after six runs in the second and one in the third.
Groen ignited the comeback with a two-run homer to left-center in the third. Kosei Suzuki added an RBI single later in the inning. In the fourth, Swain delivered an RBI single and Justin Szestowicki added a sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to 7-5.
The Explorers tied the game in the fifth when Swain laced a two-run double. Delaware State briefly reclaimed the lead on a sacrifice fly in the sixth before La Salle evened the score at eight in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk by AJ Guiliana.
In the bottom of the eighth, with daylight fading, Livingston reached on a two-base error, moved to third on a bunt by Szestowicki and scored on a wild pitch for the go-ahead run. Umpires called the game shortly after 5:30 p.m. due to darkness.
Swain went 3 for 3 with three RBIs in Game 2. Groen drove in two and, with six RBIs on the day, moved into sole possession of the national lead at 17 at the conclusion of play.
Freshman Matt DeStefanis impressed in relief, striking out three over two innings, and Titus Shay (1-0) earned the win with two perfect innings and four strikeouts.
The Explorers’ bullpen allowed just four earned runs across 11 combined innings in the doubleheader, striking out 17.
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