Temple University Athletics
Late Rally Dooms Owls In 16-10 Loss to New Mexico State
2.23.07 | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2007
LAS CRUCES, NM - New Mexico State scored nine runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to hand Temple its fourth straight loss, a 16-10 decision at Askew Field on Friday afternoon. Temple opened a 6-0 lead after four and a half innings and took a 9-7 advantage into the bottom of the eighth but its young bullpen could not hold on. Junior Ryan Weber went 4-for-5 with a double, homerun and three RBI to lead the Cherry and White offense.
It looked as if the Owls would record their first victory of the young season after jumping to a 6-0 lead. Weber scored on consecutive wild pitches in the first after reaching on a double and TU pushed across another run in the second when junior Stan Orzechowski reached on an error and eventually scored on a balk.
The floodgates really opened for the visitors in the fifth as the middle of the lineup, comprised of Weber, senior Dan Brady and junior Mike Kelch, provided an offensive onslaught. Weber launched his first dinger as an Owl, a two-run blast to center. Brady followed with a homer to left, his team-leading third of the season, and Kelch then tripled to right. He later scored on an Orzechowski double to put Temple up 6-0.Those four players combined to go 11-for-18 with three homers, three doubles, a triple and seven RBI on the day.
Junior starter Arshwin Asjes was rolling and did not allow a runner past second over four shutout innings. His only blemish came on a two-run homer to Joe Scaperotta in the fifth. Asjes received the no-decision after allowing four hits and striking out two in five innings.
The wheels started to come off in the sixth and, as was the case in last weekend's series at UNC Wilmington, the young pitching staff was hurt by free passes. Freshman Brett Carroll walked two of the first three batters he faced before being lifted for sophomore Tom Bingham. The Aggies plated two in the inning on a ground-out and sacrifice fly to bring the score to 6-4.
Temple extended the lead to 8-4 on a Kelch solo homer and a RBI double by sophomore Kyle Obal. NMSU (5-7) answered with a three-run homer by Tyler Hardt in the seventh.
The Owls scored again on an Orzechowski sacrifice fly to make the lead 9-7, but New Mexico State took control in the eighth. The Aggies opened the frame with five straight hits and didn't look back in putting a nine-spot on the board.
The Cherry and White (0-4) put a run across in the ninth on an RBI single by Weber.
Bingham (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing 10 earned runs in 2.1 innings. Vendette (1-0) picked up the win (2.1 IP, 2 ER).
The series resumes on Saturday at 3:00 PM EST (1:00 PM MST).
