Temple University Athletics
Diamond Owls End Skid Against Villanova With 10-1 Win
4.10.07 | Baseball
April 10, 2007
AMBLER, PA - Temple pounded out a season-high 18 hits, including 12 by the top four batters in the lineup, and broke a six-game losing streak to Villanova with a 10-1 win on Tuesday at Skip Wilson Field. Junior Stan Orzechowski had four hits, including a double and homerun, and freshman Kyle Monahan pitched six innings to earn his first collegiate victory.
The top of the Owl lineup batted 12-for-20, scored eight runs and knocked in six more to pace the offense. Orzechowski now has seven hits in his last 10 at-bats and slammed his second homerun of the season into a stiff wind, in the fifth. Junior Ryan Weber had three singles, while sophomore Sean Barksdale drove in four runs with two singles and a double and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Junior Mike Kelch had a pair of singles and scored two runs.
"It was a very good win," head coach Rob Valli said. "We did a little bit of everything. We pitched real well and anytime you have 18 hits and 10 runs, you give yourself a great chance to win."
While the Temple offense provided a cushion with nine runs after five innings, it was Monahan who kept the Villanova bats quiet. The freshman improved to 1-1 with six innings of four-hit ball. He allowed one earned run and struck out four. Freshman Matt Blackburn and sophomore Matt Mongiardini combined for three scoreless innings of relief.
"I was getting ahead in the counts," Monahan said. "I didn't have my best fastball but my change-up and slider were working."
Barksdale's two-run double in the first put the Owls on top early and the hosts continued to spray hits for the next four innings. After a scoreless second, Temple scored three in the third on RBI singles by Barksdale and sophomore Jamie Abercrombie and a freshman Matt Heltz ground-out.
In the fourth, Barksdale's single and a senior Dan Brady ground-out plated two more runs to put the Cherry and White ahead 7-1. Orzechowski hit a two-run homer to left in the fifth and the Owls added a run in the seventh on a double-play groundout to complete the scoring.
Junior Devon Swope and sophomore Kyle Obal also had two hits for Temple. Joe Cotter was the only Villanova player with multiple hits.
"We're a pretty good team," Orzechowski said. "When our offense takes off and our pitchers throw strikes, I believe we're unstoppable."
Bill Hoffman (2-4) suffered the loss for `Nova (13-14) after allowing five earned runs in 2.1 innings.
Villanova had won six straight in the series, and eight of nine, dating back to the 2002 season. The only Temple victory was a 7-6 decision at VU on March 25, 2003.
The Owls have now won three consecutive games for the first time this season. Halfway through the 56-game schedule, TU is 11-17 overall and 9-8 since returning from spring break.
Temple travels to Penn State, resuming an in-state rivalry that was halted in 1999, tomorrow in State College. First pitch is set for 6:30 PM.
