Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL DROPS 11-5 DECISION AT MARYLAND
3.30.05 | Baseball
COLLEGE PARK, MD -- Seniors Jason Connor and Pete Colon launched solo homeruns but Temple dropped its fourth straight contest with a 11-5 defeat at Maryland on Wednesday afternoon. Four Owl pitchers combined to allow nine earned runs as the visitors drop to 7-12 on the season. Senior Mike Weckenman and junior Marc Wagner each had two hits, including a double.
The Terps (13-14) scored single runs in the first and third innings off TU freshman starter Eric Fritz (1-2). TU got on the board in the third as well, as a senior Gene Burpoe double plated sophomore Dan Brady, who had reached on an error. Maryland's Jordan Wilson blasted a solo homerun to left to put the hosts ahead 4-1 after four innings.
Fritz ran into more trouble in the fifth, allowing a lead-off double and two walks (one intentional) before being lifted for freshman Steve Develin. The right-handed recorded a strikeout for the second out but a two-run single from Chad Durakis gave UM a 5-1 advantage.
To its credit, Temple battled back, scoring two runs in the sixth. Weckenman doubled to score freshman Devon Swope (walk) and later scored on a Wagner RBI single to bring TU within two at 5-3. The Terps added another in the sixth off senior Chris Hamilton before Colon's solo shot in the seventh made the score 6-4.
The hosts, which scored in all but one frame, broke open the game with a three-spot in the bottom of the seventh and added two more runs in the eighth. Connor's solo homer to leadoff the eighth accounted for all of the Temple scoring.
Mike Sufczynski (3-0) earned the win for Maryland, throwing 5.1 innings and allowing three earned runs. Michael Meagher, who entered the game in the eighth with the tying run on deck, collects his first save. Fritz (4.1 IP, 5 ER) was tagged with the loss.
The Cherry and White host George Washington (14-10, 1-2) in an Atlantic 10 series beginning on Saturday. The teams will meet up for a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. All three games begin at noon.
