Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL COMPLETES SERIES SWEEP OF SBU WITH 7-5 WIN ON SENIOR DAY
5.14.05 | Baseball
AMBLER, PA -- The Owls completed their first Atlantic 10 series sweep of the season and the first since taking all three games from La Salle on March 27-28, 2004 with a 7-5 victory over St. Bonaventure on Senior Day at Ambler Field. Temple managed only six hits but scored in four straight innings and took advantage of three costly Bonnies errors. TU has now won a season-high four straight games.
The Cherry and White (15-31, 7-14 A-10) had a tough time solving SBU starter Cody Vincent over the first four innings, as a freshman Frank Nunan single was the only hit for the home team. The Bonnies took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on a two-run homerun from T.J. Pennino off TU starter Tim Foulkrod.
Senior Justin Cooper's two-run double with two away in the fifth provided the hosts with a 3-2 lead. Nunan had singled home senior Pete Colon, who had walked, earlier in the inning.
SBU's Joe Rizzo blasted his 11th dinger of the season in the sixth to tie the game, but Temple rallied with two unearned runs in the home half of the frame. Sophomore Dan Brady hit his fifth homerun of the season, a two-run shot to left-center that put the Owls ahead 5-3 after six.
The Bonnies (24-25, 8-16) scored a single run in the seventh but could have had much more. With the bases loaded and two outs, Damien Blakeley hit a fly-ball into the right-centerfield gap. Colon saved the day with a spectacular diving catch to keep the score 5-4, Temple.
Using sound small-ball baseball, the Owls added single runs in the seventh and eighth. In the seventh, freshman Tom Dolan reached on an error, moved to second on a Cooper bunt single, advanced to third on a senior Harry Ley sacrifice bunt and scored on a senior Mike Weckenman sacrifice fly.
The next inning, Brady walked, moved up a base on a senior Matt Lafferty sacrifice bunt and scored on a Dolan RBI-double.
Junior Tim Andrel relieved Foulkrod in the eighth and struck out two batters in two innings to record his first collegiate save. Foulkrod (6-6) picked up his second win of the week and allowed four runs in seven innings.
Vincent (5-4) suffered the loss, despite only giving up two earned runs in 7.2 innings. Matt Marduesz homered among his three hits.
Temple honored its ten seniors--Gene Burpoe, Colon, Jason Connor, Cooper, Chris Hamilton, Chris Kurtz, Lafferty, Ley, Justin Mendek, and Weckenman--with watches presented by Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw, head coach Skip Wilson and assistant coach John McArdle in pre-game ceremonies.
The Owls visit Seton Hall on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
