Temple University Athletics
Weber's Sacrifice Fly In Tenth Gives Temple Big Win Over Winthrop
3.2.07 | Baseball
March 2, 2007
ROCK HILL, SC - Junior Ryan Weber's sacrifice fly in the top of the tenth inning drove in senior Dan Brady to give Temple a 5-4 win over Winthrop in the Coca-Cola Classic on Friday afternoon. The Eagles, who were ranked 23rd in the country last week before dropping two of three to Miami (OH) last weekend, rallied to tie the score with two outs in the ninth. Junior Mike Kelch had three hits, including a clutch double in the tenth.
"In 12 years of coaching," head coach Rob Valli said. "That was one of the best all-around baseball games I've been around."
The chess match on the diamond featured several calls to the bullpen to maximize match-ups, offensive time-outs to discuss strategy and plenty of drama. Sophomore LF Jamie Abercrombie preserved the 4-3 lead in the eighth by throwing out the potential tying run to end the inning.
"It was by far the best throw I've ever seen him make," Valli said. "That play really galvanized us."
The storyline would be incomplete without mentioning two Winthrop (8-7) transfers, sophomores Tom Bingham and Kyle Obal, who played key roles for Temple. Bingham (1-0) earned the win in relief of junior Arshwin Asjes after allowing one earned run in three innings. Obal went 2-for-5 with a RBI-double and caught his best game of the season, according to Valli.
The Eagles have been the class of the Big South Conference for the past several years, including winning 46 games and the conference title last year. Winthrop advanced to the regional final last spring before falling to the eventual national runner-up, North Carolina.
Asjes was at his best, throwing seven innings and allowing three earned runs. He retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced, and with a low 90s fastball and hard slider, he fought out of minor jams in the fifth and sixth innings. Winthrop took advantage of a pair of walks and a hit batter in the seventh to score three runs and cut the deficit to 4-3.
The excitement peaked in the ninth and tenth innings. In the top of the ninth, the Owls (2-5) had first and third with one out and a 4-3 lead but a double-play killed the rally. Bingham retired the first two batters in the ninth, but a hit batter and seeing-eye single tied up the game.
Temple bounced back in the tenth with a single run, but left the bases loaded with just one away. Brady singled up the middle to open the frame and Kelch doubled to right-center to give TU second and third with no outs. Weber lofted a sac-fly to left to give the visitors the lead but Temple would strand three baserunners in the inning (10 for the game).
Bingham pitched a perfect tenth inning to pick up his first collegiate win.
"Any win is a confidence builder," Valli said. "We're still trying to find our identity. They played well and we played well. Luckily we came out on top."
Junior Stan Orzechowski also had a pair of hits for the Cherry and White.
Phil Carey went 2-for-5 with three RBI for the Eagles. Jonathan Settle (2-2) suffered the loss, after allowing one earned run in three innings.
Temple faces off with East Tennessee State in the second day of the tournament. In order to accommodate Winthrop hosting the Big South Men's Basketball Championship at 2 PM, game time for the TU-ETSU game has been changed to noon.
