Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE HEAD COACH JAMES "SKIP" WILSON GAINS 1,000th VICTORY AS THE OWLS DEFEAT MANHATTAN COLLEGE 10-9
3.14.04 | Baseball
"It's a great honor but I'm more proud of the student-athletes that have worn the Owl uniform and have gone on to be productive citizens," said Wilson who is in his 45th year as head coach of the Owls program. "This win speaks volumes of the type of student-athletes that have come through this program. This win is for all of my players."
The Owls were led by third baseman Mike Weckenman who had a double and three runs batted in. Connor and catcher Marc Wagner also homered for the Owls who return home with a 6-5 spring trip record.
After Manhattan took a 1-0 lead to open the game, the Owls took advantage of two errors to tie the score in their opening frame. Justin Cooper led off with a single and advanced to second on an error. He moved up to third as Mike Weckenman reached first on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of John Quigley.
Manhattan would take advantage of two Owl errors and a wild pitch to score four runs in the visitors second to take a 5-1 lead. The two big hits in the inning came off the bats of Frank Cappello and Nick Derba. Temple would put runners on the corner with one out in the bottom of the inning but an inning-ending around-the-horn double play off the bat of catcher Marc Wagner ended the Owls threat.
Temple starter Tim Foulkrod settled in and after retiring the Jaspers without a run in the third and fourth innings, the Owls used the long ball to take their first lead of the game. Shortstop Jason Connor hit his fourth home run of the season, a solo shot leading off the fourth and with two outs designated hitter Jason Adamek singled and catcher Marc Wagner hit a two-run homer to bring the Owls to within a single run. But the power onslaught didn't stop there. Justin Cooper singled for his third hit of the game and third baseman Mike Weckenman followed with a two-run home run to give the Owls a 6-5 lead.
Manhattan would reclaim a one-run lead in the fifth thanks to a two-out two-run home run off the bat of right fielder John Fitzpatrick.
The Owls would knock Jasper starting pitcher Ken Gleason out in the home seventh and take a 8-7 lead. John Quigley led off with a walk. Kyle Wirtz would replace Gleason and promptly balked Quigley to second. Pete Colon then double in Quigley with the tying run. Following a ground out, right fielder Al Roach knocked in the go-ahead run with a double to right center.
Temple would extend the lead to 9-7 with the help of an unearned run in the eighth. Mike Weckenman doubled in his third run of the game after Marc Wagner reached on a error and was sacrificed to second by Justin Cooper.
Manhattan would come right back in the ninth to tie the score. Following a one-out single, shortstop Jason Connor committed a costly error and with the bases loaded and two outs John Fitzpatrick laced a two-run double down the left field line. Eric Lovelace relieved Foulkrod and retired center fielder Gary Diaz on a ground out to short.
Connor got the Owls winning rally started in the bottom of the ninth with a single. One out later, Ian Quinn came in to pitch and balked Connor to second. A throwing error by Quinn advanced Connor to third and win number 1,000 came for Wilson when Adamek singled to plate Connor.
The Owls finished up their spring trip with a record of 6-5 and are due to open up their new field on the Ambler campus on Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. against Philadelphia University.
