Temple University Athletics
Defense Fails Owls In 11-3 Loss To Wagner; Saturday's Game Cancelled
3.7.08 | Baseball
March 7, 2008
AMBLER, PA - Temple committed five errors and could not solve Wagner ace Joe Testa at the plate to drop its home opener, 11-3, on Friday at Skip Wilson Field. The Seahawks took advantage of five unearned runs and jumped out to a 7-0 lead after five innings. Game two of the scheduled doubleheader was cancelled due to rain.
Testa (1-1) allowed one earned run over seven innings, scattering five hits and striking out four. He became Wagner's all-time strikeout king with his seventh inning punchout of junior Carmen Del Mastro, passing current Oakland A's farmhand Andrew Bailey.
Senior Tom Dolan suffered the loss to fall to 0-3, but did not receive much help from his defense. He allowed seven runs in 4.2 innings, but only two were earned as two-out errors in the fourth and fifth innings gave Wagner new life.
The Seahawks (2-3) took advantage of the miscues early and seven free passes late to score double-digit runs for the second time in five games. The five Temple errors were a season-high.
The Owls (3-5) got on the board in the seventh on a RBI fielder's choice by junior Sean Barksdale. Another run scored in the eighth on a double-play groundout by junior Lenny Del Grippo to cut the deficit to 10-2.
Pinch-hitters Jamie Abercrombie, Steve Mury and Steve Nikorak all singled in the ninth, with Mury's driving in the final run of the contest.
Junior Mike Xifaras had his first career hit in the ninth on a single to rightfield. Sophomore Mike Click struck out four in 2.2 innings of relief and allowed one earned run.
Saturday's game with Cornell has been cancelled due to rain. Temple is scheduled to play Hartford (0-1) on Sunday at noon.
NOTES: Today's contest was the earliest home opener in school history, besting last year's March 11 date with Buffalo...Temple is now 39-9 in home openers since 1960...The final six innings were played in a steady drizzle and the team tarped the field following the game in hopes of playing on Saturday.
