Temple University Athletics
Diamond Owls Open Season On Friday At UNC Wilmington
2.15.07 | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2007
WILMINGTON, NC - The Temple baseball team opens its 80th season of varsity competition on Friday at UNC Wilmington. Under second-year head coach Rob Valli, the Owls have a total of 16 newcomers on the roster and will look to return to the Atlantic 10 Tournament for the first time since 2002. After the series opener on Friday at 3 PM, the two teams will meet on Saturday at 2 PM and Sunday at 1 PM.
Valli will go with a pitching rotation comprised of junior RHP Arshwin Asjes (5-7, 4.26 ERA in 2006) on Friday, junior LHP Tom Dolan on Saturday (3-3, 4.85 ERA) and sophomore RHP Matt Mongiardini (3-2, 3.25 ERA at Gloucester CC) on Sunday.
The lineup will be highlighted by senior 1B Dan Brady, an All-Atlantic 10 selection in 2006 after batting .310 with seven homers and 35 RBI. Jamie Abercrombie, the 2006 Philadelphia Diamond Five Rookie of the Year, should find a spot near the top of the lineup after batting .288 with a team high nine steals a year ago.
A slew of transfers will make their way into the starting nine, including junior OF Stan Orzechowski and sophomore OF Sean Barksdale, both transfers from Gloucester CC. The left side of the infield is also revamped with 3B Mike Kelch (Chesapeake CC) and SS Ryan Weber (Eastfield JC). Sophomore C Kyle Obal (Winthrop) will battle with incumbent Steve Mury for the starting spot behind the plate.
Junior OF Devon Swope and sophomore 1B Lenny DelGrippo will both see time in the lineup, possibly at DH, while freshman Matt Heltz will man second base.
UNC Wilmington (0-4) has started off slowly this season after winning 42 games and the CAA Championship a year ago. The Seahawks hosted the Hughes Brothers Challenge last weekend with Western Kentucky, #30 Oklahoma and #4 South Carolina, dropping all three games by a total of eight runs. UNCW took South Carolina to extra innings before falling 9-8.
On Wednesday, the Seahawks rallied with three runs in the ninth but dropped an 8-6 decision to Coastal Carolina (4-0).
UNCW will send Dan Cropper (0-0, 1.93 ERA) on Friday, Bradley Holt (0-1, 10.80 ERA) on Saturday, and Jeff Hatcher (0-0, 11.25 ERA) on Sunday to the mound.
Live stats for the weekend series will be available here.
