Temple University Athletics
ARMY HOLDS OFF TEMPLE, 4-3, AT WEST POINT
4.6.05 | Baseball
WEST POINT, NY -- Army scored four runs in the first inning and held off a Temple eighth inning rally to record a 4-3 victory at Doubleday Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Owl bullpen tossed seven innings of shutout relief but TU suffered its fifth straight defeat. Senior Jason Connor was 3-for-3 for the Cherry and White.
Army (14-8) jumped all over junior starter Tim Foulkrod by scoring four runs in the first. Schuyler Williamson lined an RBI single to center for the first run and Nate Stone sent a fly ball off the top of the leftfield wall for a two-run triple to put the Black Knights ahead 3-0. Jeremy Stache delivered a RBI single to rightfield for the inning's fourth and final run. Foulkrod struck out the side despite allowing five hits.
Temple (7-13) could not solve Army starter Ben Mayhew (4 IP, 2 hits) but plated a run in the fifth off Drew Clothier. Junior Marc Wagner singled to right and scored on a sophomore Dan Brady line-drive double to left-center to cut the deficit to 4-1.
After a shutout fourth inning from sophomore Chris McCafferty, Army opened the fifth with a walk and a hit batter to chase the righthander. Senior Chris Hamilton entered the game and immediately recorded the first out as Wagner picked off Milan Dinga at second. Wagner threw out his second straight runner, nailing Williamson on a steal attempt. After two walks, freshman Tom Dolan chased down a line drive for the third out.
The Owls rallied for two runs in the eighth to come within one run of the Black Knights. Senior Gene Burpoe singled down the left field line with one out and classmate Justin Cooper followed with a bunt single. Dolan had a checked swing single to left to load the bases for Connor. He walked to bring in Burpoe and pinch-hitter Jason Adamek was hit by a pitch to plate Cooper. Temple left the bases loaded, however, and trailed 4-3 going into the ninth.
Senior Chris Kurtz replaced Hamilton, who tossed 3.1 innings of shutout relief, in the eighth. The right-hander pitched out of a bases loaded, one out jam in his first appearance since Florida after battling an elbow injury.
Mayhew earned the win for Army to improve to 2-0 on the season. Foulkrod suffered his second straight defeat and falls to 3-2.
Temple hosts Delaware tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Ambler Field before traveling to Atlantic 10 foe Dayton for a three-game set beginning on Saturday.
