Temple University Athletics
Mongiardini And Two-Out Hitting Help Owls Beat Spiders, 6-2
4.12.08 | Baseball
April 12, 2008
AMBLER, PA - Having lost seven of its last eight games and coming off its worst loss of the season, the Temple baseball team turned to its ace, junior Matt Mongiardini, to stop the bleeding. The righthander did just that, throwing seven innings and allowing just two earned runs, to lead the Owls to a 6-2 victory over Richmond on Saturday at Skip Wilson Field. Mongiardini (5-2) scattered six hits and did not surrender a run after a two-run homer by Evan Stehle in the first.
"Matt pitched great," head coach Rob Valli said. "We challenged him to give us a great outing and he gave us just that."
While Mongiardini was in control on the mound, the Temple offense rebounded from its second shutout of the season with clutch hitting. Five of the Owls' six runs came with two outs, including senior Stan Orzechowski's three-run double in the second to put the hosts ahead, 3-2. Sophomore Matt Heltz followed with a RBI single to make it 4-2.
"We played nine innings and didn't score a run and then knocked on the door in the first," Valli said. "I think it was important that someone stepped up and kick-started the offense."
Pitching with a two-run lead, Mongiardini cruised through the middle innings. He retired nine straight batters, with six coming via groundout, and kept his pitch count down. His biggest out may have come in the seventh with a three-run lead with two outs and runners on second and third, he recorded a groundout to end the inning.
Junior Carmen Del Mastro had the first of two doubles on the day to score classmate Jamie Abercrombie in the fourth. It was the only run not scored with two outs.
A sacrifice-fly by junior Mark Ortega in the seventh gave the Owls (15-16, 7-4 A-10) some insurance and a 6-2 lead.
The extra cushion wouldn't be needed as senior Arshwin Asjes shut the door. The closer had arguably his best stuff of the season, throwing two scoreless innings and striking out four. The senior has a conference-leading five saves but has also finished three more games in non-save situations holding a four-run lead.
Orzechowski had two hits and three RBI and Abercrombie added a pair of singles.
Stephen Owens (2-2) suffered the loss for Richmond (15-18-1, 6-5). He allowed four earned runs in 3.2 innings. Hank Coogan had two of Richmond's six hits.
The series concludes on Sunday at 1 PM. Senior Mike Mongiardini will take on Richmond's Jared Bard.
NOTES: Temple is 14-0 when leading after seven innings...The Owls are 8-3 when making one or fewer errors...Mongiardini's 2.03 ERA leads the Atlantic 10...The win snapped an 11-game losing streak to Richmond and was the first victory against the Spiders since March 16, 1968...The contest was Temple's third error-less game of the season...The Owls are 3-0 when not making an error.
