Temple University Athletics
COMEBACK FALLS SHORT AS TEMPLE ENDS SEASON WITH 9-6 LOSS TO LA SALLE
5.20.06 | Baseball
AMBLER, PA -- Temple scored six runs in the eighth inning but its comeback attempt fell short in a 9-6 loss to La Salle in the season finale on Saturday afternoon at Skip Wilson Field. Freshman John Coyle had a bases-clearing double in the frame, which featured a costly two-out La Salle error that kept the inning alive. Freshman Steve Mury had a pair of hits and sophomore Tom Dolan threw four innings of relief without allowing an earned run.
Trailing 9-0 and down to their final two at-bats of the season, the Cherry and White staged a furious comeback, scoring six unearned runs before the dust settled. Freshmen Mike Sweet, Jamie Abercrombie and Lenny Del Grippo all walked to give the home team the bases loaded with two outs.
Freshman Pat Riley hit a hump-back line drive at the La Salle shortstop, who dropped it, allowing Sweet to score. Dolan followed with a RBI single and Coyle hit a rope to right-center to clear the bases to cut the deficit to 9-5. Mury then singled up the middle to plate Coyle, but the rally ended there.
The Explorers (20-31, 12-14 A-10), who set a new school record with 12 Atlantic 10 wins, broke the game open with six unearned runs in the fifth off senior starter Justin Mendek. A dropped pop-up with two outs gave the visitors new life and they took advantage, putting six runs on the board to take an 8-0 lead. La Salle added another unearned run in the eighth.
Freshman Drew Gerhart (1-4) got the win for La Salle, throwing seven innings of four-hit ball. He allowed two runs, both unearned, and struck out six for his first win of the season.
Mendek (1-7) suffered the loss, despite allowing just two earned runs in five innings. Dolan struck out five batters in his four innings of relief.
Temple honored its three seniors--Mendek, Tim Andrel and Tim Foulkrod in pre-game ceremonies.
The Owls finish the 2006 season with a 12-41 record and 6-19 mark in Atlantic 10 play.
