Temple University Athletics
Nine-Run Seventh Just Enough In 12-10 Temple Win
4.27.07 | Baseball
April 27, 2007
AMBLER, PA - Temple plated nine runs in the seventh inning to take an eight-run lead, but it was far from over as the Owls held off a late Saint Louis rally to win the series opener, 12-10, on Friday at Skip Wilson Field. All nine TU players had at least one hit, and eight Owls scored runs in a balanced offensive attack. The victory marked Temple's first Friday win in Atlantic 10 play and just the second all season.
Trailing 4-3 after six frames, the Cherry and White exploded for nine runs in the seventh. The only out Saint Louis recorded through the first 10 batters was a sacrifice bunt, as the Owls combined five hits, two walks and a pair of errors to post a season-high for runs in an inning. Senior Dan Brady's walk tied the game and a bases-loaded single by junior Mike Kelch put the hosts on top.
But it was sophomore Jamie Abercrombie's bases-clearing double that really broke the game open. The Owls were far from done, though. Freshman Matt Heltz reached on an error and sophomore Kyle Obal plated a run with his third hit of the day. Obal then scored from first on a mishandled bunt off the bat of sophomore Carmen Del Mastro.
Junior Stan Orzechowski lofted a sacrifice fly to score Del Mastro to complete the scoring. Heading into the top of the eighth, it appeared that the 12-4 lead was safe with junior ace Tom Dolan on the mound.
"It was a great inning for us," head coach Rob Valli said. "We had a couple of key hits that allowed us to separate the inning."
The first two batters reached base against the southpaw, who the recorded a fly-out for the first out before leaving the game after 7.1 innings. But a pair of Temple relievers struggled, walking four batters, hitting another, and giving up a pair of hits without getting an out. Before you knew it, the Billikens had the bases loaded and trailed 12-10.
Valli turned to his shortstop-turned-closer, junior Ryan Weber. The right-hander needed just one pitch to induce an inning-ending double-play and pitched a perfect ninth inning as well to collect his team-leading third save of the season.
"Fortunately for us we have Ryan Weber," Valli said. "He did a great job and got an inning-ending double-play with one pitch."
Dolan (5-4) picked up the win after allowing five earned runs in 7.1 innings. Most of that damage came in the first inning, when Saint Louis (10-32, 6-9 A-10) put up four runs thanks to three doubles. After working out of a jam in the second, Dolan did not allow a runner past second base and allowed just three hits the rest of his outing. He fanned five batters.
Temple put up three runs in the third on an RBI-double by Orzechowski and a two-run triple by sophomore Sean Barksdale. Barksdale has now hit safely in 20 of his last 21 games.
The Owls (14-25, 6-10 A-10) received balance production up and down the lineup, with Obal and Del Mastro combining for five hits and five runs. All but one player scored a run and all but two hitters had an RBI.
Obal, who is seven for his last 12 and has raised his average from .180 to .243 in the past two weeks, led all Temple players with three hits. Orzechowski, Kelch and Del Mastro each had two.
"It was a team victory for us," Valli said. "The bottom of the lineup really carried us."
It was Temple's first Friday win in A-10 play and the first since beating Winthrop in 10 innings on March 2.
Brock Hewitt (0-8) suffered the loss. He surrendered eight earned runs in 6.1 innings. Tom Pinnell led SLU with three hits, including a pair of doubles.
After heavy rainfall soaked the area last evening and into the morning, it appeared doubtful that the two teams would even take the field. But the skies cleared and despite some wet areas in foul play, the field was deemed clear for play.
The series continues on Saturday at 1 PM. A ceremony to officially dedicate the field for former head coach Skip Wilson will begin at approximately 12:30 PM.
