La Salle Baseball Returns with Historic 27-10 Victory, Ending Five-Year Hiatus in Explosive Fashion
PHILADELPHIA — The La Salle University baseball program marked its official return to Division I competition on Friday with a performance that will be etched in the school’s record books. In their first game since the 2021 season, the Explorers defeated Maryland Eastern Shore 27-10 in a seven-inning contest at Hank DeVincent Field, fulfilling a restoration effort that head coach David Miller described as “almost six years in the making.”
The victory signals the end of a tumultuous period for the program, which was one of seven varsity sports cut by the university in September 2020 due to pandemic-related financial pressures. After a persistent campaign by alumni and supporters, the university announced the program’s reinstatement in April 2024, setting the stage for Friday’s emotional and offensive showcase.
Explosive Return to the Diamond
The Explorers wasted no time reintroducing themselves to the collegiate baseball landscape. The team sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning, scoring eight runs to take immediate control. Although Maryland Eastern Shore responded to tie the game in the second, La Salle’s offense proved relentless.
Alec Welshans launched a two-run homer to reclaim the lead, followed by a bases-clearing double from Carter Groen that extended the advantage. Groen finished the day with four RBIs, while Welshans and Daniel Perez each contributed three RBIs and a home run. The 27 runs scored tied for the second-most in a single game in program history, a mark previously set in 1981.
On the mound, Shawn Karpaitis stabilized a chaotic early game, pitching five innings of one-run relief to earn the win.
Background: A Program Resurrected
The context of Friday’s win goes beyond the box score. Following the 2021 season, La Salle baseball was effectively dissolved, leaving players to transfer and the facility to sit dormant. The reinstatement effort required significant fundraising and administrative shifts.
David Miller, who coached the team to a school-record 32 wins in 2021 before the program was shuttered, was rehired in June 2024 to lead the rebuild. His return was seen as a crucial component in bridging the gap between the program’s past success and its new era. “We have unfinished business,” Miller said upon his hiring, a sentiment that appeared to fuel the team’s aggressive play on Opening Day.
Analysis and Considerations
While the 27-run outburst provides a morale boost for the revitalized program, observers note that the result should be viewed with tempered expectations. Maryland Eastern Shore struggled significantly with pitching depth, issuing multiple walks and hit batters that fueled La Salle’s rallies. A 17-run margin of victory in a shortened game is an outlier that may not accurately reflect the team’s competitiveness against top-tier Atlantic 10 opponents later in the season.
Furthermore, sustaining this momentum will be the true test for a roster built largely from scratch over the last 18 months. As the adrenaline of Opening Day fades, the Explorers will need to prove they can maintain consistency against tighter pitching and sturdier defenses.
For now, however, the program has successfully answered the question of whether it could return. The focus now shifts to how far this new iteration of La Salle baseball can go.
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