If the current weather forecast holds, the Penn baseball team will get to do something today that it hasn't done all year -- play an out-of-conference game in Philadelphia.
The Quakers (5-11, 1-3 Ivy) have had five of their last six non-Ivy games canceled due to rain, but with only a 20 percent chance of precipitation today, they look to be in the clear for their game against La Salle (12-7-1, 0-3 Atlantic 10).
Penn is coming off a rough Ivy League opening weekend, in which it dropped three of four games to Columbia. The Lions pounded the Quakers for 42 runs in a two-day span.
But the Red and Blue will have two chances to regroup before their Ancient Eight slate resumes this weekend with a pair of doubleheaders against Yale and Brown at Murphy Field.
But the Explorers will be no easy matchup for the Quakers.
Behind first-year head coach Lee Saverio, La Salle returns nine starters from a squad that topped a veteran Penn team, 10-8, a year ago.
The hottest player in the Explorers lineup this season so far has been junior outfielder Ryan Parfitt.
Since assuming the leadoff position at the start of the season, the Flourtown, Pa., native has led the team in batting average (.389), slugging percentage (.556), on base percentage (.488), runs scored and hits. Parfitt also leads the squad in doubles, walks and steals.
The Explorers also feature a deep bench, which drives in more than a run per game.
However, the team's greatest strength could be its pitching.
The Explorers have a combined 3.90 ERA, almost half of Penn's turgid 7.58. Opponents have hit only .271 against their pitchers so far.
The Quakers will play one more nonconference game this week before returning to their Ivy League schedule, as Penn welcomes Saint Joseph's to Murphy Field tomorrow.
The Hawks (4-23, 0-3 A-10) have lost five consecutive games and they take on Lehigh tonight on the Main Line.
St. Joe's, however, figures to be the more difficult foe for the Quakers this week, as the Hawks routed La Salle, 9-2 and 19-4, in a doubleheader last weekend.
On offense, St. Joe's is led by talented senior second baseman Jason Tarewicz. The leadoff hitter boasts the team's best average (.357), slugging percentage (.512) and on base percentage (.505). He also leads the team in runs, hits, doubles, triples and walks.
The rest of the offense has not put up impressive numbers this season, hitting just .251 on the season. Penn, in contrast, has a .302 team batting average.
The St. Joe's pitching staff has also struggled at the beginning of the season.
The Hawks have a combined ERA of 8.02, as opponents are hitting .335 off their pitchers.
For Penn to top its Philadelphia rivals, it will have to receive consistent pitching and hitting.
Quakers coach Bob Seddon described his team's pitching as a "nightmare" against Columbia.
While four hitters in Penn's starting lineup are batting over .350 -- juniors Nate Moffie, Evan Sobel and Bryan Graves and senior Mike Goldblatt -- Seddon said that his team hasn't been able to get "bunches of hits."
