Temple University Athletics
Defense Fails Owls In 3-0 Loss At SJU
3.29.08 | Baseball
March 29, 2008
NORRISTOWN, PA - Saint Joseph's scored three unearned runs in the fifth inning and it would be all the support it would need behind starter Randy Mower in a 3-0 victory over Temple on Saturday at Latshaw-McCarthy Field. The Owls managed just three hits off the southpaw and their defense made four errors, including two costly miscues in the fifth. The series will conclude on Sunday at noon.
Junior Matt Mongiardini threw well enough to win, but suffered his first loss of the season to fall to 4-1. He allowed three runs, all unearned, in 6.1 innings and scattered six hits.
"Defensively, we didn't handle the baseball well enough," head coach Rob Valli said. "Offensively, we hit some of our best balls right at guys. At that's going to happen. We tip out caps to Mower today."
The Hawks (9-15, 2-3 A-10) put runners on first and second on an error and single to begin the fifth inning. Mongiardini struck the next batter out, but hit Chris Cashman to load the bases with one out. Jeremy Jakubowski hit a groundball back to Mongiardini, who tried to throw home to start a potential 1-2-3 double play. But his throw sailed high and SJU took a 1-0 lead with the bases still loaded.
David Valesente then lofted a sacrifice fly to left and Drew Smith singled home a run to make it 3-0 after five inning.
Temple (12-9, 4-1) did not advance a runner past first base until the sixth when junior Carmen Del Mastro was hit by a pitch and senior Stan Orzechowski singled. An inning-ending double play kept the Owls off the board and it would be the best chance the visitors had to score all day.
Mower recorded the complete-game shutout, striking out six batters to improve to 3-2.
Freshman Jordan Cannon pitched the final 1.2 innings without allowing a baserunner. Junior Sean Barksdale singled to extend his hitting streak to six games.
