Temple University Athletics
FOULKROD HURLS TEMPLE PAST PITTSBURGH, 2-1
3.11.05 | Baseball
BOCA RATON, FL -- Junior Tim Foulkrod twirled a five-hitter and did not allow an earned run in eight innings to propel Temple past Pittsburgh, 2-1, on Friday at Florida Atlantic. The junior struck out three batters and improved to 2-0 on the young season. Senior Chris Hamilton pitched a perfect ninth to pick up his first career save.
Foulkrod, who earned a win over Florida International last Saturday, was just as efficient in his second outing. He allowed five hits, none for extra bases, and fought out of jams in the sixth and eighth innings. After two starts, the Cheltenham, Pa. native sports an ERA of 0.59.
The Panthers (5-4) scored their only run in the home half of the third inning. Ben Copeland walked to leadoff the inning, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Preseason All-American Jim Negrych lofted a sacrifice fly to leftfield to plate Copeland to put Pittsburgh ahead 1-0.
Temple (3-4), with only one hit to its credit going into the sixth inning, scored two runs in the frame. Senior Justin Cooper walked to open the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Tom Dolan. After a groundout for the second out, freshman Devon Swope singled to centerfield to score Cooper for the equalizer. Following a hit batter to move up to second, Swope stole third and scored the eventual game-winner on a wild-pitch.
Foulkrod allowed back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the sixth but recovered with a 6-4-3 double play and grounder to the pitcher. He ran into a bit of trouble in the eighth but thanks to some help from Dolan in centerfield, got out of the inning unscathed. Dolan made two diving catches in the frame, one each in left-center and right-center, to help the Owls hold the lead. After taking a line-drive to the lower leg, Foulkrod induced a long fly ball to Dolan to end the inning.
Hamilton entered in the ninth and pitched a 1-2-3 inning to earn the save. Swope went 3-for-4 with an RBI to pace TU.
Andrew Kuss (1-1) took the loss for Pitt, throwing 5 2/3 innings and striking out six.
Temple continues its three-game series with Pittsburgh on Saturday at 6 p.m. in West Palm Beach, Fla.. More information about the complex can be found at www.palmbeachchallenge.com.
