Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL OPENS SEASON ON FRIDAY AT #15 LSU
2.22.06 | Baseball
PHILADELPHIA - The Rob Valli Era begins this weekend as the Cherry and White open the 2006 campaign with a three-game series at LSU. Valli replaced Hall of Famer Skip Wilson, who compliled 1,034 wins in 46 seasons at TU, on October 19. The series will be broadcast live over the internet via Yahoo! Sports.
Temple is coming off an injury-plagued 2005 campaign, in which it went 17-33 and 8-16 in the Atlantic 10. The Owls are hoping to carry over the momentum after winning six of their final eight games last spring.
Despite returning 17 letterwinners, the Owls are young. Of the 30 players on the opening day roster, 22 are either freshmen or sophomores. Seven of the nine projected starters are underclassmen as well.
Temple has a little bit of depth in the starting rotation, as two fifth-year seniors are slated to pitch this weekend. Staff ace Tim Foulkrod went 6-7 with a 3.46 ERA last season and gets the ball on Friday. Sophomore Arshwin Asjes, who played for Valli last spring at Gloucester County College, was drafted in the 34th round of the 2005 MLB Draft and is slated for Saturday. Senior southpaw Justin Mendek, who missed most of the 2005 season with a shoulder injury, makes his debut on Sunday.
Offensively, junior Dan Brady and sophomore Frank Nunan lead the Owls. Brady hit five homers and drove in a team-high 31 runs last spring, while Nunan batted .397 after being inserted into the starting lineup midway through the season.
LSU, ranked #15 by Collegiate Baseball and #19 by Baseball America, is 7-1 and has won five straight games. The Tigers defeated Southeastern Louisiana on Tuesday, 7-3, behind three hits from LF Steven Waguespack. LSU, which is in the midst of a 19-game homestand to open the season, is batting .347 as a team and averages eight runs per game. The pitching staff sports a 2.10 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 73 innings.
Friday's starter, Clay Dirks, was named to the Wallace Watch List and the Clemens Award Watch List earlier this year.
LSU, which averaged 7,508 fans at Alex Box Stadium, has led the nation in attendance for 10 straight seasons.
