Temple University Athletics
OWLS TAKE 8-7 DECISION OVER DELAWARE AS QUIGLEY HOMERS TWICE
4.23.03 | Baseball
Along with his two home runs, Quigley also had a single and knocked in three runs. The Owls received a solid two-inning pitching effort in relief from Brian Ursone (Collingdale, Pa/Monsignor Bonnor), who picked up his first save of the season. Ursone was in of Matt Powell (Holland, Pa/Council Rock) who got nailed by a line drive off the bat of Steve Van Note. The liner, heading right for Powell's head, deflected off his right hand into right field for a single.
For the third straight game, the Owls fell behind early. In the home second, starter Justin Mendek (Blackwood, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) walked the leadoff batter and centerfielder Steve Van Note followed with a long two-run homer to left center. Mendek would allow a double and a pair of walks but got out of the inning without further damage by retiring Brent Rogers on a groundout to second.
After Delaware added a run in the third, the Owls finally got to starter and eventual loser, Mike Iannucci (0-1), in the fourth. With one out, Jason Connor (Norristown, Pa/Kennedy Kendrick) singled and Rob Cucinotta (Drexel Hill, Pa/Monsignor Bonnor) followed with a single down the left field line. Left fielder Brock Donovan misplayed the single and the Owls ended up with runners on second and third. Following a walk, John Quigley (Bensalem, Pa/Bensalem) hit a towering 390-foot fly to center that one-hopped against the fence. Connor scored but Cucinotta, thinking the ball might be caught, tagged up at second but could only get to third, leaving the bases loaded. Fred Hilliard (Broomall, Pa/Upper Darby) then walked forcing in a run but the Owls threat ended on an inning-ending doubleplay.
After Mike Caron (Yardley, Pa/Pennsbury) came on in relief of Mendek and retired the Blue Hens in the fourth, the Owls took the lead in the fifth.
Pete Colon (Birdsboro, Pa/Daniel Boone) led off with a single. Colon was balked to second and catcher Mike Brown (Philadelphia, Pa/Chestnut Hill Academy) reached on a fielders choice as his sacrifice bunt was misplayed as Colon slide safely into third. After Gene Burpoe (Arlington, Va/Wakefield) hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Colon, Jason Connor and Cucinotta hit back-to-back singles. Following an RBI single by Al Roach (Medford, NJ/Shawnee), Quigley hit the first of his two home runs to give the Owls a 7-3 lead.
The Blue Hens would cut the Owls lead in half in the bottom of the fifth. After two were out, Caron (5-3) walked Harden and Steve Van Note hit his second home run of the game, this one over the right field fence.
In the Owls seventh, Quigley his his team-leading 10th home run of the season off reliever Chris Garrick. The home run and eventual game-winning run, gave the Owls an 8-5 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, head coach Skip Wilson brought in his top ace, Matt Powell, and the Owls would see their season flash in front of their eyes.
Powell walked the leadoff man and after a fielders choice, Van Note hit a line drive that appeared to strike Powell in the face. Fortunately, the ball hit off his right hand and landed out in right field. Powell would have to come out of the game and was replaced by Chris Kurtz (Richboro, Pa/Archbishop Wood). Following a wild pitch and single that scored a run, Kurtz worked his way out of any further trouble.
Brian Ursone (Collingdale, Pa/Monsignor Bonner) came on in the eighth and pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to pick up his first save of the season. Ursone allowed just one hit while striking out the final four batters he faced.
The Owls are off on Thursday and continue a busy week on Friday when they take on Philadelphia University at Erny Field on Friday afternoon.
