Temple University Athletics
TOWSON EDGES TEMPLE, 9-8, IN MID-WEEK BASEBALL
4.18.06 | Baseball
AMBLER, PA -- Temple had the tying and winning runs in scoring position in the ninth inning but could not convert and dropped a 9-8 decision to Towson on Tuesday at Ambler Field. The contest was a wild mid-week affair, as the teams combined for nine errors and 24 runners left on base, with the outcome far from decided until the last out was recorded. Sophomore Robbie DeRafelo led the Owls with three hits, while freshmen Jamie Abercrombie and Lenny DelGrippo each had two safeties.
Trailing 9-8 going into the ninth inning, DeRafelo singled to right with one out to begin to make things interesting. Pinch-hitter Mike Sweet walked to put runners on first and second. Sweet and pinch-runner Tom Dolan stole second and third, respectively, on a strikeout but TU could not tie the game.
The Cherry and White took advantage of five Towson errors to post an 8-6 lead after four. Seven of the runs were unearned off Tiger starter Jason Volker, as Temple made the most of its new life in the second and fourth innings, especially. In the second, Volker threw away a sacrifice bunt to leave the door open for a junior Dan Brady grand slam. It was his team-leading fifth homer of the season and it gave Temple an early 6-4 lead.
In the fourth, three straight errors by the Towson (13-26) infield, all with two outs, allowed the Owls to score a pair of unearned runs. The runs chased Volker for Tyler Travis, who shut the hosts down. Travis, who earned the win to improve to 2-2, pitched three shutout innings and allowed two hits.
Towson scored three runs in the sixth off freshman Marc Tankel to take a 9-8 lead. Brian Conley, who earned new life after a foul pop-up was dropped, provided the backbreaker with a two-run triple down the right-field line. He scored the game-winner on a Matt Collins groundout.
Seniors Tim Foulkrod and Justin Mendek combined to shut down the Tigers over the final 3.1 innings. Unfortunately, Towson reliever Steve Johnson was just as good. The southpaw got out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh and stranded two more runners in the ninth. He earned his first save of the season by pitching 2.1 scoreless innings.
Kyle Skellchock (4-for-5) and Adam Heffron (3-for-5, 2 RBI) paced the Towson offense.
Tankel (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing five runs, all unearned, in 4.1 innings.
The Owls (7-27) travel to Bucknell on Wednesday afternoon in another non-conference game. Game time is 3:30 p.m.
