College Baseball: Streaking Explorers Ready for A-10
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The La Salle Explorers are hitting on all cylinders these days. Tuesday's 4-0 win over Villanova was their eighth straight, and that is a new program record.
Overall, La Salle is 12-8, and head coach Mike Lake (right) says great pitching has been a key to this surge.
"They've been throwing strikes, getting ahead, staying ahead," he tells KYW Newsradio. "And we've been playing pretty good defense. And in baseball, if the pitcher can throw strikes and you can make the plays, it'll keep you in all the games -- just got to get some timely hitting. And the last eight, nine games, that's what we've been doing."
Hear Matt Leon's full interview with Mike Lake in this CBS Philly SportsPod...
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The Explorers are indeed getting exceptional pitching. After the shutout of the Wildcats, the staff ERA is 3.57. Some of the standouts include sophomore righthander Shane Petrellis, who is 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA; junior lefty Eric Van Wyk, who is 1-0 with a 2.38 ERA; and sophomore righthander closer Pat Christensen, who is 1-0 with a 1.20 ERA and four saves. He has 19 strikeouts in 15 innings and has walked just one batter.
Lake likes the way his team is playing as they get ready to open Atlantic-10 play on Friday at home against Fordham.
"We feel pretty confident," Lake says. "It's always good to have momentum behind you, to have a winning streak like this behind you. But we also realize that what you did yesterday doesn't count -- it's what you're going to do today and what you're going to do tomorrow on the field. That's what's important and that's what the kids are striving for."
La Salle is also playing exceptional baseball at home as they start conference play. The Explorers are 7-0 at Hank DeVincent Field.
Reported by Matt Leon, KYW Newsradio 1060.
