Temple University Athletics
OWLS DROP SEASON OPENER TO FIU, 4-1
3.4.05 | Baseball
MIAMI,
Despite a promising effort offensively, the Owls (0-1) did show signs of a team that had its first experience outdoors at yesterday's practice. The pitching staff issued ten walks and two defensive errors proved costly, as did two pickoffs on the base paths. Meanwhile, FIU was playing its 14th game of the season and its 11th at home.
Senior starter Justin Mendek allowed four hits in four plus innings and struck out six batters. He allowed four runs, three earned, to fall to 0-1 on the season. FIU's Ammer Cabrera (2-1) earned the win, throwing six innings without giving up an earned run and Danny Hernandez escaped a shaky ninth inning to earn the save.
After
TU answered with a two-out rally of its own in the top of the second. Senior Pete Colon reached base on an error by 3B Michael Jordan and advanced to third on a junior Marc Wagner single down the leftfield line.
Mendek appeared to get out of trouble in the second, inducing Bryan Pullin to pop-up to shallow rightfield with runners on first and second with two outs.
The Golden Panthers extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth. Chris Dunn singled sharply to rightfield to lead off the inning, stole second and advanced to third as Wagner's throw sailed into centerfield. He scored on a Cody Jacobs sacrifice fly. Kurtz then replaced Mendek and walked the first two batters he faced, including one to Barroso that scored a run, and got out of a bases-loaded jam by getting Luis Rivera to groundout to first to end the inning.
The Cherry and White made things interesting in the ninth as senior Mike Weckenman singled to left and Wagner walked with one away to bring the tying run to the plate. Brady grounded into a 6-3 double-play to close out the game.
