Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL SUFFERS FIFTH STRAIGHT LOSS WITH 5-4 DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SCIENCES
4.20.04 | Baseball
The Owls (14-14) also got some great support out of the bullpen after starter and loser, Eric Lovelace (2-1), was roughed up for four runs in the second inning. Relievers Rob Licata and Chris Kurtz combined to pitch seven solid innings to keep the Owls in the game. Licata allowed one unearned run in three innings and Kurtz pitched the final four innings without allowing a run.
The visitors jumped out to a 4-0 lead off Lovelace in the second. With one out, Mike DeVincenzo's double was followed by a triple in almost the same spot by Corey Hider staking the Devils to a 1-0 lead. Hider scored on a single by Matt Batko to make the score 2-0. Following a fly out, the ninth man in the order, Chip Wukitsch walked and leadoff batter, Nick Condo, made the Owls pay with a two-out two-run double making it 4-0.
The Owls cut the lead in half in the home second. Pete Colon doubled and following a one-out walk and infield single, the Owls scored two runs without the benefit of another hit in the inning. Catcher Mike Brown walked to plate Colon and John Quigley was credited with an RBI on an infield error by second baseman, Hider, that looked like an inning-ending double play when the ball went off Quigley's bat. However, Fox worked out of his first bases loaded jam by retiring the next two batters.
Shortstop Jason Connor would bring the Owls one run closer in the third with a solo home run. It was his seventh on the year, tying him for the team lead with Colon.
The Owls would miss another opportunity in the fourth. With one out, Brown walked and Quigley blooped a single to right. Following a popout, Al Roach reached base on an infield error loading the bases one more time. Once again, Fox, who's father works part-time for the Temple football program as a telephone technician, left the bases loaded getting Connor on a lazy fly out to left.
A lack of key hits in the last five games has been the Owls undoing. After starting the season with 10 or more hits in 13 out of their first 19 games, the Owls have not had a 10-hit game in their last nine outings and have seen their team batting average drop from .334 to .301.
The Devils added an unearned run in the sixth but Temple got that run back with a two-out rally in the seventh. With two gone, Colon singled and came around on a double by Mike Weckenman.
Two relievers worked a scoreless eighth and ninth to nail down the victory for the visitors. Rene Rodriguez retired the Owls in order in the eighth and Mike DeVincenzo got away with walking a pair of Owls in the ninth to record his first save of the season.
The Owls return to Ambler Field on Wednesday for a make-up game with Penn. First pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m.
