PHILADELPHIA – The Saint Joseph's baseball team split a pair of games at La Salle on Saturday, as the Explorers took the opener, 8-3, before the Hawks used a pair of early two-run innings to take a 4-3 win in the nightcap.

GAME 1: La Salle 8, Saint Joseph's 3

HOW IT HAPPENED
• La Salle (28-16 overall, 11-4 Atlantic 10) took the lead in the bottom of the first, but the Hawks tied things in the second on a single by Ryan Picollo.

• The Explorers went back ahead in the second on a pair of singles before a three-run third extended the lead.

• Singletons in the fourth and fifth push the hosts' margin to 8-1 before a Luke Zimmerman sacrifice fly and a wild pitch in the sixth set the final score.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Frank Elissalt went the full seven innings for the Explorers to earn the win, while Ryan Devine took the loss for SJU.

• Picollo led the Hawks with a pair of hits on the day.

GAME 2: Saint Joseph's 4, La Salle 3

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Saint Joseph's (15-14 overall, 9-6 Atlantic 10) was the early aggressor in the nightcap as the first four batters of the game notched hits, with RBI singles by Andrew Cossetti and Nate Thomas gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead after one.

• Cossetti then ripped his ninth home run of the season over the fence in left to double the margin in the second.

• La Salle would get back within one in the third on a three-run home run by Tatem Levins, but Noah Weber and Hayden Seig shut the door after that to preserve the victory.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
• Weber allowed three runs on three hits in four innings, while Seig allowed one hit across three shutout innings of relief.  Jordan Morales went six innings for the Explorers, allowing four runs on seven hits.

• Brendan Hueth was 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Cossetti was 2-for-3 with three runs batted in.

UP NEXT
The Hawks will look to secure a split in the series finale, set for noon on Sunday at Hank DeVincent Field.