Temple University Athletics
TEMPLE BATS COME ALIVE IN 11-6 WIN AT UMES
3.22.05 | Baseball
PRINCESS ANNE, MD -- Eight starters drove in at least one run and the Temple bullpen combined for seven innings of shutout relief as the Owls defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore, 11-6, on Tuesday afternoon at Hawk Stadium. TU exploded for seven runs in the first three frames, with senior Jason Connor leading the hit parade with a 3-for-5, three RBI effort. Senior Justin Mendek picked up the win by twirling three plus innings of scoreless relief.
The Cherry and White jumped on UMES (3-17) by scoring four runs in the opening frame. Senior Justin Cooper walked and freshman Tom Dolan reached on a fielder's choice. Both were driven in the first of Connor's two doubles on the day. Freshman Devon Swope then doubled down the leftfield line to plate Connor and later scored on a sophomore Dan Brady sacrifice fly.
UMES answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning off freshman starter Eric Fritz. The reigning A-10 Rookie of the Week did not get out of the second inning, as the Hawks plated four runs, all unearned, thanks to two Temple (7-8) errors. Mendek, who improved to 1-2 on the season, got out of the inning with no more damage.
Trailing 6-4, Temple rallied for seven runs over the next three innings to account for all of the scoring. Four straight singles in the third by Connor, Swope, junior Marc Wagner, and Brady scored two runs and a junior Mike Silverman sacrifice fly put the Owls on top, 7-6.
Connor drove in another run with his second double in the fourth before the offense added three more in the fifth. Senior Pete Colon, Cooper and Dolan all had RBI singles in the inning.
After Mendek threw 3.1 innings, sophomore Chris McCafferty, senior Chris Hamilton and freshman Steve Develin shut down the Hawk offense with four innings of shutout relief.
With his three hit performance, Connor is now 6-for-12 with six RBI, three doubles and a homer in his last three games. Dolan and Swope also had multiple hits for the Owls.
Colon collected his 100th career hit and becomes the 61st Temple baseball player to pass the century mark with his single in the fifth. Current teammates Mike Weckenman (148 hits) and Connor (131) are also members of the 100-hit club.
Temple opens its Atlantic 10 schedule this weekend by hosting Richmond at Ambler Field. The Spiders will visit for a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. Game times are set for noon.
