PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — In a wild offensive display that defied pregame projections, the La Salle Explorers outslugged the Iona Gaels 18-13 on Wednesday afternoon at Hank DeVincent Field.

The game, which featured 31 combined hits and saw the teams trade massive scoring innings, was a stark contrast to the Interstat game simulator’s projection of a 5-3 La Salle victory. The Explorers’ potent offense, led by first baseman Alec Welshans, proved too much for Iona to overcome as La Salle evened its season record at 15-15. Iona fell to 7-15.

The most important sequence of the game came immediately, setting a chaotic tone. The Gaels, batting as the visiting team, jumped ahead with a run in the top of the first inning on AJ Oden’s sacrifice fly. That early lead was obliterated in the bottom half, as La Salle sent 11 men to the plate and scored five runs. The crushing blow was a three-run homer to left field by Welshans, his first of two key extra-base hits, which gave the Explorers a 5-1 advantage they would not relinquish.

Iona chipped away with three runs in the second, but La Salle responded forcefully in its half of the inning. After a single and a hit batter, left fielder Kosei Suzuki launched a three-run homer to left field, extending the Explorers’ lead to 8-4. The back-and-forth continued as La Salle added four unearned runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by Chase Swain’s two-run triple, to build a 13-5 lead.

The Gaels refused to go quietly, capitalizing on La Salle errors and wild pitches to score four times in the sixth inning, with Nickolas Mora delivering a two-run double. That cut the deficit to 13-11, but La Salle answered with a five-run bottom of the fifth to seemingly put the game out of reach at 17-11. The inning was fueled by three walks, a bases-loaded walk to Swain, and run-scoring plays from Daniel Perez and Carter Groen.

Iona mounted one final charge in the seventh. With two runners on, Malachi Costello connected for a three-run home run to right field off reliever Bruce Wadiak, bringing the Gaels back within three runs at 17-14. Costello finished with five RBIs. La Salle got one of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double from Tyler Morgan, making it 18-14.

Iona scored once more in the eighth on an RBI double by Aiden Ciprian, but La Salle relievers Dante Edwardi and Christopher Gist provided critical scoreless outings to stem the tide. Edwardi worked two innings in the middle of the game, allowing just two hits, while Gist pitched a perfect ninth to seal the victory.

Welshans was the top star for La Salle, going 3 for 5 with a home run, a double and three RBIs, continuing a strong stretch at the plate. Suzuki added two hits, including his three-run homer, and three RBIs. Swain drove in three runs without recording an official hit, drawing three walks and a sacrifice fly.

For Iona, Mora went 2 for 4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Despite the loss, Iona relievers Kyle Hard and Aiden Jovia combined for 2 2/3 innings of hitless, scoreless relief late in the game.

La Salle opens a three-game home Atlantic 10 series against Richmond on Thursday. Iona travels to face Maryland-Baltimore County for a three-game set beginning Thursday.