Temple University Athletics
Hit Parade Gives New Mexico State Series Win
2.25.07 | Baseball
Feb. 25, 2007
LAS CRUCES, NM - New Mexico State pounded out 21 hits, including eight for extra bases, and picked up the series win going away with a 23-5 victory over Temple on Sunday at Askew Field. The Aggies poured it on in the final three innings, adding 17 runs over their last three at-bats. Junior Ryan Weber went 2-for-4 and raised his team-leading batting average to .391 while junior Devon Swope and sophomore Carmen Del Mastro also had a pair of hits.
The Owls sent a sophomore and four freshmen to the mound for the second straight Sunday and the veteran Aggie offense took advantage of a pitching staff still getting its feet wet at the college level. TU walked nine batters and hit one more to help NMSU put up a season high 23 runs.
Temple (1-5) scored single runs in the first, second and third innings to keep the contest close early on. Sophomore Sean Barksdale led off the game by reaching on an error and later scored on a junior Mike Kelch groundout. In the second, consecutive doubles by sophomore Jamie Abercrombie and Swope tied the game at 2-2 and senior Dan Brady's team-leading fourth homer of the season gave the Owls a 3-2 advantage in the third.
The lead turned out to be short-lived as New Mexico State scored four in the bottom half of the inning. Sophomore starter Matt Mongiardini settled down and retired six of the next seven batters before leaving. He suffered the loss (0-2) after allowing six earned runs in five innings.
New Mexico State then took advantage of a quartet of freshmen pitching in its second weekend of college action. The Aggies added 17 runs to their total and improved to 6-8 with the win.
Sophomore John Coyle added a sacrifice fly in the ninth to finish off the scoring.
Noah Garza (1-1) picked up the win after throwing five innings and allowing two earned runs.
Temple travels to Rock Hill, SC on Friday for the Winthrop Challenge, hosted by the #22 Eagles. The Owls face Winthrop on Friday, East Tennessee State on Saturday and Kent State on Sunday.
