Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL BATS SILENCED IN DOUBLEHEADER LOSS TO MASSACHUSETTS
5.8.04 | Baseball
AMHERST, MA - In a doubleheader that could go a long way in determining the sixth and final team to sneak into the Atlantic 10 Tournament, the Massachusetts Minutemen took advantage of five Temple errors in sweeping a twinbill from the Owls, 4-2 and 6-1, on a sunny but chilly afternoon in Amherst.
The Minutemen (16-21, 8-9) got back-to-back complete games from Eric Chown and Mark Torra to take a two-game lead in the East Division standings over the visiting Owls. In the second game, Torra came within two outs of pitching a no-hitter. He allowed just one hit, a one-out seventh-inning solo home run off the bat of Pete Colon. It was Colon's eighth home run of the year, tying Jason Connor for the team lead.
In the first game, Temple starter and loser Tim Foulkrod (3-6) pitched well enough to win but three of the four runs that crossed the plate were unearned as the Owls' lost their fifth straight A-10 series opener.
Trailing 1-0 in the second inning of the opening game, the Owls took a 2-1 lead. Al Roach opened the inning with a double and one out later scored on John Quigley's two-run home run off UMass starter Eric Chown.
The home team took advantage of an error in the third to score a pair of unearned runs. After Anthony Santos reached on a error, Cullan Maumus singled to right. Frank Curreri doubled to score a run and Curt Szado's two-out single plated the second run of the inning.
Meanwhile, Chown (5-4) did not allow the Owls another run and retired 11 straight before Al Roach singled with one out in the seventh. The righthander retired Quigley and Pete Colon on fly outs to rightfield to end the first game.
In the second game, Temple starter Justin Mendek (2-4) was victimized by a first-inning error that allowed UMass to take a 4-0 lead in the opening frame. Three of the four runs that crossed the plate were unearned. The big hit in the inning came off the bat of catcher Michael Wiener who doubled in two runs with two outs to give the Minutemen a 4-0 lead.
Massachusetts added to the lead in the fourth. Maumus was hit by a pitch with two down and Frank Curreri followed with a two-run homer to knock out Mendek. Josiah Platchek came on in relief and retired the final seven Minutemen he faced.
UMass starter starter Matt Torra (5-3) retired 10 straight batters and took a no-hitter into the final frame. After striking our Roach looking, Colon took Torra deep ending the no-hitter and breaking up the shutout. Torra ended the game getting Quigley and catcher Marc Wagner on fly outs to left.
The doubleheader loss puts a serious damper on the Owls chances of reaching the Atlantic 10 Tournament in Norwich, Connecticut. The Owls now trail UMass by two games and need Rhode Island to sweep Fordham and have La Salle win at least two out of three against Duquesne to stay in the playoff hunt.
Temple and UMass complete their three-game series tomorrow with a single game beginning at Noon.
The Minutemen (16-21, 8-9) got back-to-back complete games from Eric Chown and Mark Torra to take a two-game lead in the East Division standings over the visiting Owls. In the second game, Torra came within two outs of pitching a no-hitter. He allowed just one hit, a one-out seventh-inning solo home run off the bat of Pete Colon. It was Colon's eighth home run of the year, tying Jason Connor for the team lead.
In the first game, Temple starter and loser Tim Foulkrod (3-6) pitched well enough to win but three of the four runs that crossed the plate were unearned as the Owls' lost their fifth straight A-10 series opener.
Trailing 1-0 in the second inning of the opening game, the Owls took a 2-1 lead. Al Roach opened the inning with a double and one out later scored on John Quigley's two-run home run off UMass starter Eric Chown.
The home team took advantage of an error in the third to score a pair of unearned runs. After Anthony Santos reached on a error, Cullan Maumus singled to right. Frank Curreri doubled to score a run and Curt Szado's two-out single plated the second run of the inning.
Meanwhile, Chown (5-4) did not allow the Owls another run and retired 11 straight before Al Roach singled with one out in the seventh. The righthander retired Quigley and Pete Colon on fly outs to rightfield to end the first game.
In the second game, Temple starter Justin Mendek (2-4) was victimized by a first-inning error that allowed UMass to take a 4-0 lead in the opening frame. Three of the four runs that crossed the plate were unearned. The big hit in the inning came off the bat of catcher Michael Wiener who doubled in two runs with two outs to give the Minutemen a 4-0 lead.
Massachusetts added to the lead in the fourth. Maumus was hit by a pitch with two down and Frank Curreri followed with a two-run homer to knock out Mendek. Josiah Platchek came on in relief and retired the final seven Minutemen he faced.
UMass starter starter Matt Torra (5-3) retired 10 straight batters and took a no-hitter into the final frame. After striking our Roach looking, Colon took Torra deep ending the no-hitter and breaking up the shutout. Torra ended the game getting Quigley and catcher Marc Wagner on fly outs to left.
The doubleheader loss puts a serious damper on the Owls chances of reaching the Atlantic 10 Tournament in Norwich, Connecticut. The Owls now trail UMass by two games and need Rhode Island to sweep Fordham and have La Salle win at least two out of three against Duquesne to stay in the playoff hunt.
Temple and UMass complete their three-game series tomorrow with a single game beginning at Noon.
Tuesday, June 02
Saturday, May 30
Tuesday, May 19
Tuesday, May 05
