Temple University Athletics
Richmond Uses Long Ball To Defeat Temple, 9-5
4.13.07 | Baseball
April 13, 2007
RICHMOND, VA - Richmond blasted four home runs, including a pair by Joe Mahoney, to defeat Temple, 9-5, in the series opener on Friday at Pitt Field. The Owls had a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth but the Spiders outscored the visitors 9-2 the rest of the way. Sophomore Sean Barksdale was 3-for-3 and extended his hitting streak to a team-high 14 games while senior Dan Brady had a pair of hits and knocked in three runs.
The Cherry and White continued to struggle on Fridays, having lost all four A-10 series openers, and is 1-6 overall on that day. Junior Arshwin Asjes, throwing on four days rest, was hit hard after four scoreless innings to open the game. Richmond scored five in the fifth, highlighted by Mahoney's three-run homer and a solo-shot by Alex Worting.
UR (20-14, 8-2 A-10) scored another run in the sixth and back-to-back dingers by Mahoney and Vince Riggi to open the seventh chased Asjes for freshman Kyle Monahan. Asjes (1-3) suffered the defeat after allowing eight earned runs in six innings.
Barksdale launched his team-leading fifth home run of the season to give Temple a 1-0 lead in the fourth. With two outs in the fifth, the Owls threatened with consecutive singles by juniors Ryan Weber and Mike Kelch. After a walk to Barksdale, Brady drove in two runs with a single to extend the advantage to 3-0.
Trailing 6-3 in the seventh, it looked like the Owls would have a chance to tie the game after three straight singles by Kelch, Barksdale and Brady cut the deficit to two runs with one out. But junior Devon Swope grounded to first and Barksdale was cut down at the plate trying to score. Temple went down in order in the eighth and junior Stan Orzechowski led off the ninth with a homerun but the Owls could not draw any closer.
Weber and Kelch had a pair of singles for Temple (11-19, 4-6 A-10), which out-hit its opponent for the fifth straight game.
Freshman Matt Zielinski, a local product from Southampton, PA (La Salle HS), improved to 4-2 for Richmond after hurling five innings and striking out six. He allowed three earned runs. Brian Alas pitched 2.2 innings, giving up one earned, for his league-leading ninth save.
Riggi had three hits and knocked in two runs, while Mahoney had two homers and drove in four for the Spiders. Mahoney is now second in the league with eight dingers.
The Owls have yet to beat Richmond since the Spiders joined the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2002. Temple is 2-7 against UR, with both wins coming in 1968.
With the threat of inclement weather on Sunday, the two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon.
