Temple University Athletics
FORDHAM TAKES TWO FROM TEMPLE, 3-0 AND 5-3
5.1.05 | Baseball
AMBLER, PA -- Fordham's Cory Riordan twirled a complete-game, three-hit shutout in game one and the Rams scored four runs in the top of the seventh in the nightcap to finish off the sweep of Temple on Sunday afternoon at Ambler Field. The visitors captured the opener, 3-0, and the nightcap, 5-3. The Owls managed only seven hits on the day, highlighted by a senior Pete Colon two-run inside-the-park homerun in game two.
Riordan was almost unhittable for Fordham (28-15, 12-5 A-10) in the opener. The freshman improved to 8-3 with the complete-game shutout and fanned four TU (10-26, 3-11) batters. For Temple, junior Tim Foulkrod was nearly as good, but suffered the loss to fall to 4-5 on the season. The right-hander scattered seven hits and allowed three earned runs in defeat.
The scoreboard read all zeroes until the fourth inning. The Rams' Gary Kaible doubled to leadoff the inning and later scored on Greg Smith RBI groundout. Kaible homered in the sixth and Jeremy Bourgeois added an RBI double to give Fordham a 3-0 advantage.
Temple had its best chance to score in the bottom of the fifth, trailing 1-0. Freshman Frank Nunan reached on an error to leadoff the inning and a batter later senior Justin Cooper walked to give TU first and second with one out. Senior Harry Ley hit a laser into left-center but a gusty wind blowing across the outfield allowed the ball to hold up for Fordham centerfielder Tim Short to make the catch.
In the nightcap, senior Mike Weckenman and Fordham's Thomas Davis engaged in a pitcher's duel. Weckenman allowed only two hits through five shutout innings but ended up receiving the no-decision. Davis had a no-hitter going for 5.2 innings before Weckenman doubled down the leftfield line in the sixth.
Colon ripped a line-drive to center that got past a diving Short and the senior rounded the bases for his ninth homerun of the season and first of the inside-the-park variety. The Wernersville, Pa. native now has 25 career dingers and is now tied for fourth all-time with John Marzano '84 and Pete Dempsey '78. Temple held a 2-1 lead going into the seventh with senior reliever Chris Hamilton, who escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, on the hill.
With one out, designated hitter Drew Adler walked and Kaible reached on an infield single. Hamilton jammed Short but his groundball got past the pitcher and hit second base, changing direction and scoring Adler for the tying run. A Smith RBI groundout put the Rams ahead, 3-2, and the visitors added two more in the inning to go up 5-2.
Temple scored a single run in the seventh but came up a handful of runs short in falling 5-3. Hamilton (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing four earned runs in 1.1 innings. Davis (4-3) picked up the win, striking out seven in six innings while James Sammut earned the save.
The two teams will complete the three-game series on Monday at 11:30 a.m.
