Temple University Athletics
OWLS CAPITALIZE ON NICE WEATHER, TAKE DOUBLEHEADER FROM DAYTON, 8-1 AND 3-0
4.13.03 | Softball
In the opening game, Liz Naughton took the mound for the Owls, facing Dayton's number one pitcher, Dana Campbell. The game remained scoreless until the third inning, when Flyer second baseman Angie Barney drilled a solo home run into left field. Dayton held onto the one-run lead until the fourth inning when the Owls scored a run, tying the game. Bari Lynn Pflueger led off with a base hit up the middle, and was moved to second on a sacrifice by catcher Alexis Gary. A single by Aida Esquer scored pinch runner Linsey Rummel, evening the game at one.
Neither team scored in the fifth inning, but the Owls put the game in far reach for the Flyers in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring seven runs on five hits, three walks, two passed balls, one wild pitch and one hits batswoman. Pflueger again led off with a hit, and was replaced by pinch runner Nikki Undercuffler at first base. Chrissy Harris was hit with a pitch, advancing Undercuffler to second. Aida Esquer then singled, loading the bases for the Owls. Lauren Evans lined a pitch through the left side, scoring Undercuffler and giving the Owls the lead. Temple was determined to keep things going however, and continued to capitalize on every Dayton mistake. Chrissy Harris came home from third on a wild pitch, leaving first base open for rightfielder Jess Rohn. Rohn drilled a ball up the middle and advanced to second on the throw home. Esquer scored, and Evans moved to third on the play. A walk sent centerfielder Katie Weigle to an unoccupied first base, but ball four got by Dayton catcher Christina Vetter, scoring Evans, and advancing Rohn to third and Weigle to second. Jenny Cochran then drilled a pitch into leftfield, which was deep enough for both Rohn and Weigle to score safely. The Flyers threw the ball around, and before the play was over Cochran had advanced to third. Lynsey Grace was walked, and Undercuffler came to bat with first and third occupied, and only one out. Another pitch got by Vetter, Cochran came home, and Grace advanced to third. Undercuffler was walked, but the Flyers got the final two outs, stranding Grace and Undercuffler at third and first. The Owls came out of the inning with a seven run advantage over Dayton.
In the top of the seventh, Temple pitcher Vicky Grasham got the first two outs, but the Flyers' Spencer Izor threatened with a single. Grasham squashed any hopes of a two-out rally for Dayton, getting the final out on a fly ball to leftfield.
Grasham earns the win for the Owls, improving her record to six wins and five losses on the season. In two innings of work she gave up three hits, no runs, no walks, and struck out one.
The Owls kept things going their way in game two, jumping out to an early lead in the first inning. Weigle singled and stole second on the same play. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cochran, the first out of the inning. Grace struck out, and Pflueger came to the plate, working to a 3-2 count. She knocked the payoff pitch into right field, scoring Weigle and giving the Owls the one-run edge.
Temple did things just the same in the fourth inning, when Alexis Gary led off with a single. A Chrissy Harris sacrifice bunt advanced Gary to second, where she was replaced by pinch runner Linsey Rummel. Aida Esquer flied out to Flyer shortstop Shannon St. Clair, who threw back to second in an attempt to get Rummel out on the tag. The throw was in the dirt however, and got by second baseman Tami Roudebush, advancing Rummel to third. A single by third baseman Lauren Evans scored Rummel, and the Owls added another run in similar fashion to the first.
The Owls tacked on an insurance run in the sixth on a Bari Lynn Pflueger home run, and the Flyers never threatened the against Owls' pitching combination of Naughton and Grasham. Dayton only had more than one runner on base in one inning, and that came on a passed ball strikeout in the fifth, which was followed by a hit.
Grasham, the starter in game two, allowed no runs, tallying her second win of the day. She threw five innings, giving up two hits, no runs, no walks, and striking out seven. In relief, Liz Naughton pitched two innings, allowing two hits, one walk, and striking out one.
The Owls ride a three game win streak into Olean, New York, where they are scheduled to face St. Bonaventure next Saturday, April 19, in a conference doubleheader. The first game is set to begin at noon.
