Temple University Athletics
TOWSON RALLIES TO TOP TEMPLE, 7-5
4.20.05 | Baseball
TOWSON, MD -- Temple held a slim 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning but saw it disappear as host Towson scored four runs in the frame to record a 7-5 non-conference victory on Wednesday at Schuerholz Park. All nine Owl starters hit safely for the first time this season but the visitors could not hold on to the advantage and suffered their seventh straight road loss. Senior Pete Colon hit his team-leading sixth homerun and freshman Frank Nunan had two singles for TU.
Towson (18-17) opened the scoring in the second inning with a single run, but lost its first baseman and the nation's top homerun hitter (17 HR), Jason Maxey, who crashed into the fence making a catch on a foul ball. The Cherry and White answered back in the top of the third when a senior Mike Weckenman RBI double plated classmate Jason Connor to tie things up at 1-1.
Temple (8-22) added two more runs in the fourth on just one hit. Junior Marc Wagner walked to lead off the inning and advanced to third on Nunan's single to right-center. Freshman Tom Dolan had a RBI groundout to plate Wagner and move Nunan to second. Nunan then advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt and scored on senior Justin Cooper's sacrifice fly.
The Tigers scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at three, but Temple took the lead in the top of the seventh. Cooper walked, stole second and scored as Connor's groundball to short was thrown away to put TU ahead 4-3.
Sophomore Chris McCafferty was pitching well scattering five hits and allowing only two earned runs in six innings. The right-hander ran into trouble in the seventh as Towson, which was held without a homerun for just the seventh time this season, plated four runs. Adam Heffron had the game-breaker with his bases loaded triple to put the hosts up 7-4.
Colon slugged his homerun in the eighth but it was not enough as the Owls went down with a loss for the 14th time in the last 15 contests. His dinger gives the senior 22 in his career, which moves him into a tie for ninth place all-time with Tom Whalen (1993-96) and Jeff Manto (1984-85).
McCafferty (1-5) suffered the loss, giving up six earned runs in 6.1 IP. He did strike out six batters. Junior Tim Foulkrod pitched a perfect inning in relief. Tyler Travis (1 IP, 0 ER) earned the win.
Temple visits Saint Joseph's in a three-game Atlantic 10 series beginning Saturday at noon.
