Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL OPENS CONFERENCE PLAY WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP AT LASALLE
3.27.04 | Baseball
Temple (9-7, 2-0) won the first game with the help of Connor's triple and a solid six inning effort from starter and winner Chris Kurtz (2-0). They got their third straight solid starting effort in the second game from eventual winner Justin Mendek (1-0). The big lefty pitched into the sixth inning before being relieved by Josiah Platchek who picked up his first save in an Owl uniform.
In the first game, starters Kurtz and La Salle (12-6-1) lefty Anthony Boscaglia (2-1) breezed through the first three innings. In the fourth, Temple scored a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead. Justin Cooper and Mike Weckenman led off the inning with back-to-back singles. John Quigley then laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to move the runners up. Al Roach followed with a two-run double to left center.
The lead didn't last long. La Salle left fielder Scott Gehringer hit a two-run homer run to tie the score at two.
The Owls took the lead for good in the sixth. Cooper led off with a walk and went to third on a single to right off the bat of Weckenman. La Salle brought on reliever Gerard Breslin. After a pair of strikeouts, Pete Colon was intentionlly walked. That brought up the Owls RBI leader in shortstop Jason Connor. Connor delivered a two-out two-strike bases clearing triple that might well be remembered as a huge moment during the season if the Owls reach Norwich, Connecticut, the home of the Atlantic 10 Baseball Championship. Catcher Marc Wagner followed with another two-out hit, this one a single, to plate Connor.
The Owls would add four more runs in the visitors seventh to open up a 10-3 lead while the Explorers added two meaningless runs in the seventh.
In the second game, the Owls took a quick 2-0 lead by scoring a run in both the first and second innings. In the opening frame, Jason Adamek singled with one out and came around to score on an Al Roach double. In the second, the Owls manufactured a run as leadoff hitter Jason Connor singled. Two pitches later, Connor stole second and went to third on a throwing error. He would score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Freddy Hilliard.
Mendek took a 3-0 lead in the sixth before tiring. He struck out Jay Stevens to lead off the inning but three consecutive hits ended his day as Josiah Platchek came on. Platchek would put out the fire, striking out Erik Ruhland and Rich Prall to end the threat. He retired the Explorers in the seventh to earn his first save in an Owl unform.
The two teams finish up the three-game weekend series at La Salle tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.
