Temple University Athletics
Dolan Pitches Temple Past New Mexico State, 7-4
2.24.07 | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2007
LAS CRUCES, NM - Junior Tom Dolan threw eight innings, allowing only three hits and two earned runs, and Temple held off a late New Mexico State rally to earn its first win of the season, a 7-4 victory over the Aggies on Saturday at Askew Field. Dolan struck out seven batters, one short of a career-high, while classmate Stan Orzechowski drove in three runs for the Owls.
Dolan (1-0) provided one of the best outings of his career and his eight innings were especially welcome after the Owls' bullpen threw four hard-fought frames a day before. The southpaw retired the first 11 batters and his only blemish was a two-run homer by Leo Aguirre in the sixth. He allowed just one baserunner to advance past first and walked just one batter.
Offensively, the Owls scored six runs in the first inning but didn't do much damage after the opening frame. TU used four walks and a pair of singles to chase NMSU starter Brian Robinson (0-3) after 0.1 innings. Orzechowski and sophomore Steve Mury had two-run singles and a walk to sophomore Devon Swope plated another run. When the dust had settled, the Cherry and White sent 10 batters to the plate and posted a 6-0 lead.
Orzechowski gave the visitors a 7-0 advantage in the fourth on a RBI single that plated senior Dan Brady. That was the last sign of life from the TU (1-4) offense as the Aggie bullpen retired the next 14 batters before a junior Mike Kelch double in the ninth.
Aguirre's dinger cut the lead to 7-2 in the sixth and New Mexico State (5-8) scored two runs on a wild pitch and a balk to draw within three with two outs. Freshman Rob Chamra recorded the final out for his first collegiate save.
Brady, Orzechowski and Kelch all had a pair of hits.
The series concludes on Sunday at 3:00 PM EST (1:00 PM MST).
