Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL DROPS DOUBLEHEADER TO RHODE ISLAND
4.17.04 | Baseball
Temple hit three home runs in game one but they were not enough. Pete Colon had two hits, including his team-leading seventh home run which gave the Owls (14-11, 4-3) a temporary one run lead in the eighth inning. Catcher Marc Wagner also had two hits including a home run and Freddy Hilliard hit a three-run homer in the second to give starter Justin Mendek (2-1) a four-run cushion.
Rhode Island (17-13-1, 8-2) tied the game in the third with a four spot of their own. The Rams bunched six hits in the inning with first baseman Dan Batz delivering a two-run double to go along with RBI singles by Zach Zuercher and Matt Sullivan.
The Owls came right back to take a 6-4 lead in their next at bat. With one out, third baseman Mike Weckenman walked and Wagner followed with a two-run homer to left.
Rhody came back to tie the game in the home sixth with two out and nobody on. Catcher Josh Nestor hit a solo home run to get things started. Pinch hitter Ryan Cunningham singled as Daryl Holcomb was set in to pinch run. Dave Savard then singled and Holcomb scored on an error by Wagner to tie the score.
After both teams went quietly in the seventh, the Owls took a one-run lead in the eighth as Colon homered to right-center with two outs. However, the Rams showed why they currently lead the eastern division of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
For the third time in the game, the Rams battled back from a deficit, this time scoring twice to win game one of the doubleheader.
Sullivan homered to right leading off and Mike Ranville doubled to center. Tim Foulkrod replaced Mendek and Ranville advanced to third on a passed ball. After a fly out, Foulkrod intentionally walked the next two batters. The Rams second baseman Wayne Russo failed on a attempted suicide squeeze as Ranville was caught at home but redeemed himself with a game-winning infield single to plate Adam Houston with the winning run and make a loser out of reliever Tim Foulkrod (2-4).
The Owls (14-12, 4-4) didn't let the numbness last long following a tough opening game defeat. With two outs in the opening frame of the second game, John Quigley got things going by drawing a walk. Leftfielder Al Roach followed with his sixth home run of the season to stake the Owls' to a 2-0 advantage. Jason Connor singled, stole second and scored to make it 3-0 on a single by Pete Colon. It would be the last time the Owls would score on the afternoon off Zeucher (4-3).
Meanwhile, Temple starter Chris Kurtz (3-1) left five Ram runners on in the first two innings but ran into big trouble via the long ball in the third.
The Ram third saw two three-run home runs hit, the first by catcher Josh Neston and the second by Wayne Russo. Those two blasts followed a two-run homer by first baseman Dan Batz. A Mike Rainville single closed out the nine-run, nine-hit outburst.
Zuecher was just unhittable. He retired the last eight Owls to face him including striking out seven of the last eight batters to end the game.
The two teams conclude their three-game series tomorrow at Bill Beck Field at Noon.
