Temple University Athletics
VILLANOVA HOLDS OFF TEMPLE, 8-6, IN AFTERNOON BASEBALL AFFAIR
5.1.03 | Baseball
Chris Graziano, who stole his 103 career stolen base, also contributed his first career home run while driving in three runs. The visiting Wildcats (13-26) also got three hits, including a home run, off the bat of right fielder, Mitch Mitchell.
For the Owls (18-20), who played their sixth game in five days, catcher Jeff Roma (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) had three hits while four other Owls had two hits each. The Owls also received a strong pitching effort in relief from Chris Hamilton (Philadelphia, Pa/Germantown), who pitched 3.1 innings in relief, allowing just one hit while striking out six.
Villanova jumped on starter and loser Tim Foulkrod (Cheltenham, Pa/Cheltenham) for a run in the first and added three in the second.
Brian Trotta led off with a home run and after Greg Fater singled and was sacrificed to second, Graziano hit his first career home run, a two-run shot to give the Wildcats a 4-0 lead.
The Owls finally reached Wildcat starter and winner, Nick Allen (4-5), for a run in the fourth. With two outs, Al Roach (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) doubled to left center. Roach moved to third on an infield single by John Quigley (Bensalem, Pa/Bensalem) and scored on a single by Roma.
The visitors doubled up their run total in the sixth. Trotta started things off with a single and Dustin Downs followed with the same. Following a fielders choice that plated Trotta, Danny Poydenis singled in a run and Mitch Mitchell closed out the Villanova scoring with a two-run homer.
The Owls tried to battle back in the home sixth. Rob Cucinotta (Drexel Hill, Pa/Monsignor Bonnor) led off with a single and one out later a Quigley single was followed by a Roma single that loaded the bases. Fred Hilliard (Broomall, Pa/Upper Darby) hit into a fielders choice that scored Cucinotta and Pete Colon (Birdsboro, Pa/Daniel Boone) followed with an RBI single. The Owls rounded out the scoring on an RBI double by Mike Weckenman (Newtown, Pa/Council Rock) to get to within 8-4.
The Owls added solo runs in the seventh and eighth but reliever Dan Farino came on to get his third save of the season.
The Owls travel to Fordham on Saturday for an important three-game series. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.
