COOPER, DEVELIN LEAD TEMPLE IN FLORIDA FINALE

WEST PALM BEACH, FL-- Senior Justin Cooper went 3-for-5 and knocked in the go-ahead run with a two-run single in the seventh as Temple notched a come from behind win over Pittsburgh, 5-3, on Sunday in West Palm Beach, Fla. Freshman Steve Develin pitched four innings of no-hit relief with six strikeouts to earn his first collegiate win.

Pittsburgh (6-5) jumped on top early, scoring two runs in the first off Temple (4-5) starter Mike Weckenman. The senior also got out of a jam in the second inning to keep the score at 2-0. The Owls scored a single run in the third as a freshman Tom Dolan ground-out scored Mike Silverman, who reached on an error.  

The two teams continued to be locked in a pitcher's dual, with Weckenman and Pitt starter Billy Muldowny mowing down hitters. Temple managed just one hit, a Cooper single, off Muldowny in his six innings and was struck out nine times. Weckenman, making the first start of his career, fanned six in five innings before being replaced by Develin with TU trailing, 3-1.

The Cherry and White rallied in the seventh off Pitt reliever Robert Brant. Junior Marc Wagner reached on an error and later scored on a fielder's choice by senior Pete Colon. After another Panther error kept the inning alive, Cooper lined a single to rightfield to plate Colon and sophomore Dan Brady and give the Owls a 4-3 lead. All three runs in the inning were unearned. Weckenman lofted a homerun, his first of the season, to give Temple a 5-3 lead in the eighth.

Develin cruised on the hill, throwing four no-hit innings and striking out six. He ran into trouble in the ninth, issuing two walks to start the inning, but recovered with two strikeouts and a fly ball to earn his first collegiate win.

The Owls return to the diamond on Tuesday in the home opener against Lehigh. The Liberty Bell Classic contest will begin at 3 p.m. at Ambler Field.

Temple University Athletics

COOPER, DEVELIN LEAD TEMPLE IN FLORIDA FINALE

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