MERION STATION, Pa. – The Saint Joseph's baseball team picked up a pair of key victories on Friday, sweeping a doubleheader from La Salle. The Hawks claimed a 3-2 victory in the opener before winning the second game 11-2.
GAME 1: Saint Joseph's 3, La Salle 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
• La Salle (32-20 overall, 15-8 Atlantic 10) took the early lead on a sacrifice fly by Connor Coolahan in the top of the second, but the Hawks answered in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double by
Brandon Drapeau.
• Coolahan put the Explorers ahead again in the fourth, this time with an RBI double that made it a 2-1 game.
• It remained that way until the bottom of the sixth.
Andrew Cossetti was hit by a pitch to start the inning and advanced to second on a single by
Liam Bendo. Then, La Salle pitcher Frank Elissalt attempted to pick Cossetti off of second; the throw bounced off of Cossetti's helmet and advanced the runners to second and third with nobody out.
•
Langston Livingston wasted no time, ripping a double down the right field line to score both runners and give the Hawks the lead.
•
Hayden Seig then came on and worked around a pair of walks to preserve the victory with a scoreless seventh.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Seig notched his fourth save while
Luke Zimmerman earned the win with two innings of scoreless relief. Elissalt took the loss, allowing three runs on seven hits in five-plus innings.
Noah Weber got the start and allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out four in four innings.
• La Salle's Ryan Guckin went 3-for-4 to lead all hitters, while
Brendan Hueth turned in a 2-for-3 performance for the Hawks.
GAME 2: Saint Joseph's 11, La Salle 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Joseph's (20-17 overall, 14-9 Atlantic 10) kept the momentum going early in game two as Bendo ripped a two-out single that scored Cossetti to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead after one.
• SJU extended the lead in the second.
Brett Callahan led off the frame with an infield single to bring up
Brian Vance, who unleashed a bit of Senior Day magic with a no-doubt shot to left for his first career home run and a 3-0 Hawk lead.
•
Nate Thomas followed with a walk and then came in to score on a triple by
Ryan Picollo, who crossed the plate himself on an RBI single by Hueth that made it a 5-0 game.
• The visitors got back into it with a pair in the top of the fifth, but the Hawks answered with a six-spot in the bottom of the frame to put the game away. Cossetti led off with his 13th home run of the season before a walk to Bendo chased La Salle starter Jordan Morales. Consecutive singles by Drapeau and Callahan then loaded the bases for Vance, who doubled home a pair to make it an 8-2 game.
• After a walk to Thomas re-loaded the bases, Hueth hit another RBI single before
Luca Trigiani brought home two more with a single of his own.
• The Explorers would put two on with two out in the top of the seventh, but
Patrick Shearer retired the side to end the game and give the Hawks the sweep.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
•
Luke Smith got the start and earned the win for SJU, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out six in four and two-thirds innings. Shearer combined with
Ryan Devine to toss two and a third shutout innings of relief. Morales took the loss after allowing seven runs on eight hits in four-plus innings.
• Vance drove in four runs with a 2-for-3 day; he also reached after being hit by a pitch and scored two runs.
• Callahan was 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Cossetti was 2-for-4 and scored twice as well.
• Guckin went 3-for-4 once again and was the only Explorer with multiple hits.
UP NEXT
The teams will play the series and regular season finale on Saturday afternoon with a spot in the postseason on the line. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m. at Smithson Field.
