Temple University Athletics
Burdeaux's Walk-Off Homerun Clinches Owls' 6-5 Win
3.10.07 | Softball
With Temple (2-9) down to its last two outs in the home half of the seventh inning, sophomore Katie Burdeaux launched a walk-off three-run homerun in heroic fashion as the Owls downed Mount St. Mary's (3-7) 6-5 on day two of the Stetson Tournament in DeLand, Fla.
Burdeaux started the morning game on the mound for second-year head coach Casey Dickson, but freshman Ashley Smuda (2-5) came on in relief in the seventh to capture the win. Freshman Jamie Fowler (2-4) went the distance for the Mount while allowing six earned runs on a season-high 13 Temple hits.
After senior Jessica Rohn, Friday's hero in the 5-3 win over North Florida, popped out to start the seventh, the stage was set for Burdeaux. Senior Adrienne Repsher reached on a single to the right side and sophomore Courtney Norene sent a base-hit back through the box before Burdeaux's game-winning long-ball.
Mount St. Mary's began the game's scoring in the top half of the first following a solo homerun off the bat of sophomore Amanda Burk. The Cherry and White responded with a two-run second inning following successive RBI singles from juniors Natalie Wagner and Anna Rico.
The Owls increased their lead to a two-run cushion after Norene slammed her team-leading fifth homerun of the season with two outs in the bottom half of the third. However, the Temple advantage would be short-lived as the Mount rallied for three runs in the top half of the fourth. Mount St. Mary's regained its lead after an RBI single from freshman Ashley Lodato and a two-run double off the bat of senior Reanna Tuczynski.
After a scoreless fifth and sixth frames from both teams, the Mount pushed its lead to two runs after freshman Lisa Curreri's sacrifice fly plated sophomore Kim Fowler.
With a decisive 13-5 hit advantage in favor of the Cherry and White, Dickson noted the team's resiliency in their final at-bat. Burdeaux and Norene each collected three hits while Repsher tallied two.
"We had several chances to score runs, but just couldn't capitalize," said the second-year Temple mentor. "But, we battled, stayed in it, and Katie came through for us in the end."
The Cherry and White will look to win their second straight game, and third in four outings, at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday against Bethune-Cookman.
