Temple University Athletics
OWLS HANG ON TO DEFEAT XAVIER, 6-3, IN VERIZON A-10 CHAMPIONSHIP OPENER
5.16.02 | Baseball
The Owls got some superb pitching from starter and winner Mike Caron (5-2) and a solid relief performance from Brandon Bruno, who picked up his second save of the year, following a somewhat shaky ninth inning.
The Owls broke a scoreless deadlock with a pair of runs in the third inning thanks to some poor fielding by Xavier. Leadoff batter Mike Weckenman (Newtown, Pa/Council Rock) was safe at first on a throwing error by third baseman Kevin McKnight. After a sacrifice bunt, Keith Ramsey (Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Regional) singled Weckenman to third. John Quigley (Bensalem, Pa/Bensalem) was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Sophomore Al Roach (Medford, NJ/Shawnee)then hit a scarifice fly to center to score Weckenman and Ramsey scored on an errant throw from centerfielder Ryan Schreen.
The Musketeers, who had swept the Owls in a three-gme series in Cincinnati earlier in the year, came right bck to score a run in the top of the fourth without the benefit of a hit. A walk was followed by a balk and two groundouts later, the visitors cut the lead in half.
Xavier would take their only lead of the game in the fifth, courtesy of a pair of unearned runs. Ryan Schreen led off with a single but was doubled off first on a great play by shortstop Jason Connor (Norristown, Pa/Kennedy Kenrick). With Schreen on the move, Eric Greenwell lined what looked like a sure single through the vacant shortstop hole. But Connor, who took two steps toward the bag to cover, dove back to the open area to make a great catch of the line drive and easily doubled off the runner at first. Unfortunately, Connor bobbled the next grounder and following a walk, Mark Andres doubled in both runs to give Xavier a 3-2 lead.
The lead was short-lived however as the Owls came right bck to score a pair of runs in the fifth. With one out and one on, Keith Ramsey, who had two hits on the day, doubled home Joe Lyall (Levittown, Pa/Harry Truman) and advanced to third on a throwing error by the second baseman. John Quigley then singled in Ramsey as the Owls regained the lead, 4-3.
The Owls added to their lead in the next inning without the benefit of a hit. Wechenman reached second with no out on a throwing error by third baseman Kevin McKnight. He advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Connor and scored on a squeeze bunt by Weckenman.
Meanwhile, starter Mike Caron tretired the Musketeers in the sixth and after retiring the first two batters in the seventh, he was relieved by Brandon Bruno following a two-out single. Bruno then retired Mark Andres to get out of the inning.
The Owls added an insurance run in the eighth. Hilliard walked and was sacrificed to second by Connor. He scored when Mike Weckenman singled in to left putting the Owls up, 6-3.
Bruno got himself in trouble in the ninth but worked himself out of a bases loaded jam. With one out, Schreen reached on an error and following back-to-back singles to load the bases, he struck out Alec Moss and retired Mark Andres on a line drive bck to the mound as the Owls dugout erupted with the final out.
