Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL OPENS SEASON ON FRIDAY NIGHT AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
3.2.05 | Baseball
PHILADELPHIA -- With a veteran core of nine seniors returning and a hungry group of newcomers ready to make an impact at the collegiate level, the Temple baseball team is poised to make a run at the postseason in 2005. "Our first goal is to make the Atlantic 10 Tournament and then win the conference," veteran head coach Skip Wilson said. "We just might be good enough to do it."
Wilson, whose 45 years as the skipper for the Cherry and White is tied for the longest tenure in Division I history, will rely especially on three seniors to lead his team back to the postseason for the first time in three years. According to Wilson, RF Pete Colon, 1B Mike Weckenman and C Matt Lafferty are "outstanding leaders" and will help guide a team that includes 17 underclassmen.
The middle of the Owl lineup is back almost fully intact, with SS Jason Connor, Colon and Weckenman expected to produce runs for one of the league's more potent offenses. Connor had a breakout season in 2004 (.323, 8 HR, 54 RBI) and along with Colon (.298, 8 HR, 39 RBI) could make a run at All-Atlantic 10 honors.
Weckenman moves across the diamond from the hot corner to first base. The senior, who Wilson praised as one of the finest fielding infielders around, makes the switch to allow for the hard-throwing right hander to close games. Last season, Weckenman batted .299 with 7 HR and 36 RBI and posted a 3.38 ERA in five plus innings on the hill.
Also in the middle of the lineup is sophomore Nick Fasano, who will see most of his action as the designated hitter. He batted .219 in limited action last season, with two of his seven hits being round-trippers. The Horsham, Pa. native could also see time at first base.
Temple, however, will miss the production of outfielders Al Roach (.385, 7 HR, 41 RBI, All-A-10) and John Quigley (.312, 4 HR, 43 RBI), who graduated.
Two freshman centerfielders will see time in the leadoff spot. Devon Swope, who was a medical redshirt last season, and Tom Dolan, are both stolen base threats and have great range in the outfield. Dolan, a hard throwing southpaw, will also log innings as one of the team's closers.
Senior LF Gene Burpoe (.190 in 2004) hopes to return to his sophomore form when he batted .309. "Those three guys give us a lot of speed at the top of the lineup," Wilson said.
Junior Marc Wagner (.280, 2 HR, 18 RBI) and Lafferty will see time behind the plate. Wagner started 23 games last season as a sophomore and along with Lafferty, will provide a solid backstop for a veteran group of hurlers. Senior Justin Cooper (.265, 1 HR, 17 RBI) is slated to start at 2B and sophomore Dan Brady will move into Weckenman's spot at 3B.
Three experienced arms headline the starting rotation and will look keep Temple in the hunt for an A-10 bid. Junior right-hander Tim Foulkrod (4-6, 5.58 ERA) had an impressive sophomore season and will team with senior lefty Justin Mendek (2-5, 6.47 ERA) to give opponents a one-two punch.
Senior Chris Kurtz, who posted a 5.62 ERA and a team high eight wins in 2004, will be in the rotation and also see time as a closer for the Cherry and White.
Wilson is excited about sophomore transfer (Maryland) Chris McCafferty. A top recruit coming out of West Chester East, he appeared in two games for the Terps last spring. "McCafferty is really going to be an outstanding pitcher for us," Wilson said. Another newcomer, freshman Steve Develin, rounds out the rotation.
Senior Chris Hamilton (1-2, 7.58 ERA) and junior Tim Andrel (2-5, 10.41 ERA) will begin the season in the bullpen but could find themselves in the rotation later in the season. Kurtz, Weckenman and Dolan will be asked to nail down games as the team's closers.
Temple continues to schedule top teams in the region and beyond. The season will open with a two-game set at Florida International on March 4-5 before traveling to Boca Raton, Fla. for series with Boston College, Wagner and Pittsburgh.
Other tough non-conference games include trips to Patriot League champion Army and Maryland and contests with regional rivals Delaware, Villanova, La Salle, Lehigh, Lafayette and Penn.
The Owls will host seven of nine conference series at Ambler Field, which will help their charge to the postseason. TU hosts Richmond, George Washington, Rhode Island, Fordham, Massachusetts and defending league champion St. Bonaventure while taking visits to Dayton and Saint Joseph's.
The top two teams from each division and the two teams with the next highest winning percentage, regardless of division, will qualify for the A-10 Tournament.
Wilson, who became the 29th Division I head coach to win 1,000 games early last season, thinks that his squad will be one of six teams still playing in late May.
"I don't have a bunch of individuals. I have a team," Wilson said. It is that cohesiveness that will allow Temple a shot at the Atlantic 10 Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
