Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL SPLITS TWINBILL WITH DUQUESNE
4.9.04 | Baseball
Mike Weckenman drove in five runs, including a three-run homer in the second game. Center fielder John Quigley led the Owls with five hits on the afternoon.
In game one, the Owls jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead and held that same lead through three innings as Owls' starter and loser, Justin Mendek (2-1) breezed through the Dukes lineup the first time around.
Duquesne took a 3-1 lead in the fifth. The big hit was a two-run homer off the bat of catcher Mike Grecco.
The Owls would respond in a big way in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead. With one on and two outs, the Temple bats came alive. Shortstop Jason Connor singled and Pete Colon walked to load the bases. Mike Weckenman had a two-out two-run single to tie the game. The Owls took a 5-4 lead on an infield error.
The Dukes then scored single runs in the sixth and seventh to pull out the win. In the sixth, the home team once again used the long ball as Jonathan Kelly homered to tie the game at four. In their last at-bat, the Dukes played small ball to push across the winning run. A single and a sacrifice put the winning run on second. Josiah Platchek entered in relief of Mendek and two batters later a Pete Maropis hit ended the contest.
In game two, the Owls scored five runs in the second inning to take a commanding 5-0 lead. Justin Cooper plated two with a single and one batter later, Weckenman deposited a Scott Chisholm (2-4) pitch over the wall in left for a three-run homer.
Temple starter Kurtz (3-0) allowed single runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings but the Owls scored one of their own to take a 6-3 lead into the last frame. Kurtz made it interesting, giving up a two-run homer and a single but ended the game by retiring Andy Gallina on a fly to left.
The teams will meet tomorrow at noon for the rubber game of the three-game series.
