La Salle

Pete Auteri is taking to this whole baseball thing pretty quickly. The former lacrosse player turned center fielder for La Salle bashed a first-inning grand slam in the Explorers' 14-2 win over visiting Roman Catholic in a Catholic League baseball game Friday. Auteri, a senior playing his first varsity baseball season, went 3 for 3 with two doubles and drove in six runs. Senior first baseman Chris Melillo was also 3 for 3 and knocked in five runs. In another Catholic League game: Shane Williams went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and host St. Joseph's Prep beat Father Judge, 7-2. St. Joe's scored five runs in the sixth to break a tie. Public A. George Washington scored four runs in the top of the ninth to win at Prep Charter, 13-9.

Episcopal Academy had one main defensive goal entering its lacrosse game against La Salle on Tuesday: stop Matt Rambo. The Churchmen delivered on their plan, frustrating Rambo all game and keeping the La Salle offense in check in an 8-2 victory. Rambo, a nationally regarded prospect who has committed to the University of Maryland, scored both of La Salle's goals, but the Explorers weren't able to keep the game close on a cold, windy afternoon at Episcopal. Entering the game, La Salle was the No. 3 team in the country, according to the Under Armour rankings.

Episcopal Academy had one main defensive goal in mind entering its boys' lacrosse game against La Salle on Tuesday: stop Matt Rambo. The Churchmen delivered on their plan, frustrating Rambo all game and keeping the La Salle offense in check in an 8-2 victory. Rambo, a nationally regarded prospect who has committed to the University of Maryland, scored both of LaSalle's goals, but the Explorers weren't able to keep the game close on a cold, windy afternoon at Episcopal. Entering the game, La Salle was the No. 3-ranked team in the country, according to the Under Armour rankings.

LOS ANGELES - Tyreek Duren has plenty to look forward to, but what he most eagerly anticipates has nothing to do with the NCAA Tournament. Of course, he hopes, and expects, to lead La Salle back, at least to the Sweet 16, where his Explorers found themselves for the first time in 58 years. Before that, he hopes to guide the Explorers to the top of the Atlantic 10 for the first time. He wants to redeem this season's quick exit from the A-10 Tournament. He wants to win the Big 5 outright.

LOS ANGELES - Ramon Galloway had just a couple of things he wanted to say when it was finally over, when La Salle's rush and rumble through the NCAA tournament came to an abrupt ending against Wichita State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night. He controlled the floor for two seasons with the Explorers, so it seemed fitting that he take the floor one last time, and that's what he did in the quiet locker room after the game. "I told them I love them," Galloway said. "Not just the players, but the coaches, the managers, the trainers.

LOS ANGELES - Rohan Brown sat in his chair and glared ahead into space. He would not take off his uniform. He would not remove his shoes. His rage would not allow him to accept defeat in the NCAA Tournament. Not to Wichita State. Not to some Missouri Valley Conference team that merited only a No. 9 seed. Never mind that La Salle was a 13, and needed a play-in game to acquire that spot. Never mind that La Salle come out of the quaint Atlantic 10. Never mind that the Explorers last played in the NCAA Tournament 21 years ago, before Rohan Brown was born.

La Salle backed up its No. 3 spot in the Under Armour national rankings by defeating fifth-ranked Garden City (N.Y.), 7-4, in a nonleague boys' lacrosse game Saturday. Garden City, ranked No. 1 at the end of the 2012 season, saw its 24-game winning streak halted with the home loss. Matt Rambo led La Salle with two goals and two assists. Goaltender Nick Hresko stopped seven shots. "He was off the charts," La Salle coach Bill Leahy said of Hresko. "He made some big saves. " In other action: Sean Tornetta scored five goals for Perkiomen Valley in an 8-6 victory at Methacton.

LOS ANGELES - John Giannini never told his team exactly which team Wichita State reminded him of when he watched video. The La Salle coach did not want to scare them. The Shockers reminded him of Saint Louis. Anybody who saw the second half of La Salle's final regular-season game at Saint Louis knew the Explorers did not match up with a team that had size, skill and speed. Speed and skill, yes, but throw in size and La Salle was going to be in trouble. The coach's worst fears were realized Thursday night at the Staples Center.

LOS ANGELES - Watching La Salle fall one more upset short of becoming the first No. 13 seed to reach the NCAA Elite Eight, you could argue three Explorers NCAA wins are testament to a school showing patience with a coach, since John Giannini got to March Madness in his ninth season on Olney Avenue. Or maybe it was a coach showing patience with a school. Forget what you just saw. Did you think La Salle was a place where such a run was possible? Was anybody convinced that the Explorers could recruit the players necessary to compete in the Atlantic Ten, let alone make an NCAA run?

La Salle's basketball team enjoyed quite a journey in the NCAA tournament, one that has guaranteed lifelong memories for the players, coaches, administrators, and fans. The 12-day road trip consisted of more than 5,100 air miles; four games; countless news conferences; and, most important, three wins before Thursday's season-ending, 72-58 loss to Wichita State in the West Regional Sweet 16 matchup at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. For a team that hadn't appeared in the NCAA tournament since 1992, La Salle certainly didn't look out of place.