Temple University Athletics
STELLAR PITCHING NOT ENOUGH AS TEMPLE SWEPT BY RICHMOND
3.26.05 | Baseball
AMBLER, PA -- Temple starters Justin Mendek and Tim Foulkrod combined to allow just two earned runs in 15 innings of work but each came away with losses as the Owls were swept by Richmond, 1-0 and 3-1, on Saturday at Ambler Field. The Spiders scored a single run in the top of the seventh to take the opener and tallied two in the top of the eighth in the nightcap. UR (11-10) remains perfect in the conference with a 5-0 record, while the Owls (7-10) fall to 0-2 in the Atlantic 10.
Mendek, who earned the win in Tuesday's 11-6 win over UMES by pitching three innings of shutout relief, was at his best on Saturday. The southpaw kept the Spiders off balance and retired 11 straight batters at one point, but fell to 1-3 as the TU offense could not put any runs on the board. He allowed five hits in the complete game effort and struck out six while walking only one.
Richmond scored the game-winner in the seventh. Joe Mahoney singled to leadoff the inning and later scored on an Austin Reilly single to leftfield. Temple, which left nine runners on base including bases loaded in the fourth, tried to put together a rally in the bottom half of the frame. Senior Pete Colon singled to lead-off the inning but was picked off trying to advance on a wild pitch. Seniors Justin Cooper and Gene Burpoe both walked to keep the inning alive but were stranded.
Richmond's Rob Berzinskas improved to 2-2 with an impressive outing, allowing four hits in 6.2 innings and striking out nine. John Cronin recorded one out in the seventh to earn his third save.
The nightcap was similar to the opener as Foulkrod and UR starter Ja Jones engaged in a classic pitcher's dual. Foulkrod, who has emerged as Temple's ace, was in control and looking to notch his fourth win of the season.
Richmond scored a run in the third when Alex Hale was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Anthony Sandstrom double to put the visitors ahead, 1-0. The scoreboard would remain that way until Temple's final at bat in the bottom of the seventh.
Senior Mike Weckenman singled to center to open the frame and was replaced on the bases by freshman Frank Nunan. Junior Marc Wagner laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Nunan to second where he scored on a sophomore Dan Brady double to center to tie the score at one. The Owls had a chance to win the game with Brady on second and one out but left him stranded.
Richmond answered back in the extra frame with two runs. Reilly grounded to third base to leadoff the inning and was called safe when senior Mike Silverman's foot came off the bag. After a sacrifice bunt and a line-out, Ben Zeskind tripled to leftfield to score Reilly. Freshman Devon Swope made a long run to get to the ball but his leaping attempt came up short. Zeskind scored on an Andrew Justice single to left to put UR ahead 3-1. Temple loaded the bases in the eighth but could not plate the tying runs.
Foulkrod dropped to 3-1 despite a gallant effort on the hill. The junior allowed one earned run in eight innings and fanned five batters without walking any. Jones (6.2 IP, 10 K) received the no-decision after being replaced by Derek Duclos (1-0) in the seventh.
The two teams will square off on Sunday at noon in a nine-inning contest. First pitch is set for noon.
