Temple University Athletics
SKIP WILSON CLIMBS TO WITHIN ONE VICTORY OF 1,000 WITH A 13-9 WIN OVER EVANSVILLE
3.12.04 | Baseball
The Owls were once again led by Jason Connor who had three hits and four runs batted in. He now has knocked in a total of 16 runs in just nine games. Reliever Rob Licata (1-0) picked up his first career win in an Owl uniform.
After Owl starter Justin Mendek retired Evansville in the first two innings, Temple (5-4) mustered a small threat in the second with two outs. Al Roach singled and Freddy Hilliard walked but Purple Aces starter Kai Tuomi got out of any further damage by striking out designated hitter Andrew Clemens.
Evansville (9-5) would reach Mendek for a pair of runs in the top of the third. Following a single, a walk and a sacrifice, second baseman Kyle Smith singled to center to knock in a pair of runs. Smith, however, was gunned down trying to take second on the play.
The Owls would bat around and take their first lead in the bottom of the inning. Catcher Mike Brown started the rally with a single. Following a sacrifice bunt, Mike Weckenman reached first on an infield single. After a pair of walks to John Quigley and Pete Colon, Jason Connor double knocking in two runs. Al Roach and Andrew Clemens followed with RBI singles knocking out Purple Aces starter Kai Tuomi, who was replaced by Cal Stanke.
Evansville would get a pair of runs back in the fifth to cut the deficit to 6-4. Third baseman Mike Serafini knocked in one run with a sacrifice fly while first baseman Erik Lis doubled in the second run to complete the scoring.
Meanwhile, Evansville reliever Cal Stanke who came on in the third would hold the Owls hitless through the sixth inning as the visitors edged to within a run by scoring a run of their own in the seventh on a double by Lis.
The Owls would put up two unearned runs in the home seventh to take an 8-5 lead thanks to a pair of errors and walks and a single off the bat of shortstop Jason Connor.
The three-run lead didn't last long as the Purple Aces knocked out Owl starter Justin Mendek by scoring three runs of their own to knot the game at eight in the eighth. The Owls prevented the go-ahead run from scoring when Serafini was thrown out at home after a single. The throw went from Roach to Weckenman to Brown.
The Owls would put up a five spot in the home eighth to break the game open. Second baseman Justin Cooper started the rally with a leadoff single. After a botched bunt, a pair of wild pitches gave the Owls the lead. John Quigley followed with a single and after a groundout, Jason Connor knocked in his fourth run of the game with a single. Following an error in the infield, Jason Adamek drove in Al Roach, who had walked, with a sacrifice fly to close out the Owls scoring.
The Owls take on Florida International tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. in Miami.
