Dover, Del. (Mar. 17, 2015) --- Despite slugging seven home runs, Delaware State came out on the short end to La Salle this afternoon. The Explorers hit five long balls of their own in a 20-14 victory over the Hornets in blustery conditions at Soldier Field today.

In addition to the 12 home runs, the teams combined for nine doubles and 38 hits.

La Salle's Ethan Springston was three-for-six with three home runs, five runs scored and seven RBI to lead the Explorer's 19-hit attack.

Mark Williams had four hits, including a homer, and two RBI; while Joey Ravert had a homer, double and single for La Salle (9-10).

Delaware State's Ron Farley had four hits, including two solo home runs, in five at bats.  

Charles Dailey hit his second home run of the season, while Justin Allen, Jaylen Zielecki, Sam Barber and Jake Bartlett also went deep for the Hornets.

La Salle scored first when Springston socked a two-run homer in the top of the second inning. The Hornets answered with a run in the bottom of the second when Bartlett doubled in Barber with two outs.

The Explorers (9-10) scored nine runs in the top of the third to open up an 11-1 lead. Justin Korenblatt and Josh Savakinus had two-run doubles, while Williams doubled in a run and Ryan Welling singled in one in the inning.

Delaware State responded with four runs in the bottom of the third on two-run homers by Allen and Bartlett to cut La Salle's lead to 11-5.

Springston hit his second home run of the game, a two-run shot, to stretch the Explorer's lead to 14-5.

Farley led off the DSU fifth with a homer and David Kimbrough singled in a run in the inning to pull the Hornets to within 14-7.

Springston's third homer of the game gave La Salle a 17-7 lead.

The Explorers added a run in the seventh on the Williams home run and two in the eighth to stretch their lead to 20-7.

Farley hit his second homer of the game, while Dailey had a two-run shot and Barber smacked a solo blast in the eighth to pull the Hornets to within 20-11.

Zielecki's three-run homer in the ninth rounded out the scoring for the Hornets.

Luke Reilly, the third of six La Salle pitchers, was credited with the win. Zielecki suffered the loss for DSU.

The Hornets (2-11; 2-1 MEAC) return to action with a MEAC doubleheader at Coppin on Saturday (Mar. 21). Game one begins at 1 p.m. in Hanover, Md.