Temple University Athletics
Owls Fall To Rhode Island, 7-1, In Opening Round Of A-10 Tournament
5.21.08 | Baseball
May 21, 2008
CAMDEN, NJ - Temple's first foray into the postseason in six years did not go as planned as the Owls suffered a 7-1 defeat to Rhode Island in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament on Wednesday afternoon Campbell's Field. Junior Sean Barksdale and senior Stan Orzechowski combined for five of TU's seven hits. The Cherry and White will face the loser of the Duquesne-St. Bonaventure game tonight at approximately 7 PM.
"I thought Rhode Island played really well," head coach Rob Valli said. "We never quite got our offense on track."
Barksdale continued to hit the ball well, going 3-for-4 and driving in Temple's only run with a RBI single in the first. He extended his hitting streak to 14 games, a span where he is batting .448 during the stretch.
Orzechowski has been hot as well. With a single and triple today, he has now hit safely in 13 of his past 14 games, batting .407 during the stretch. While the two catalysts did all they could to carry the Temple offense, the rest of the Owls lineup combined to bat just 2-for-24 against Rhode Island starter Brett Palanski.
The right-hander settled down nicely after allowing a run in the first and improved to 6-3 with the victory. He tossed a season-high eight innings and allowed only one earned run while striking out four. Palanski allowed just one runner past second base after the first and that was in the sixth inning.
Trailing 5-1, Temple (26-28) had its best chance to score in the frame when singles by Orzechowski and Barksdale brought freshman Byron McKoy to the plate with one out. McKoy hit a line drive right on the screws, but it was right at Rhode Island shortstop Dan Rhault, who flipped to second to complete the inning-ending double play.
Palanski and reliever Luke Demko combined to retire nine of the next 10 batters to finish the game. Junior Jamie Abercrombie reached base on an eight-inning single.
The Rams took advantage of a costly TU error to score three unearned runs in the second and never looked back. URI loaded the bases on a hit batter, error and walk and the number nine hitter, Kenny Burns had a bases-clearing double to make it 3-1.
Rhode Island (30-25-1) added two runs in the fifth and two more in the eighth to complete the scoring. Burns and Mike O'Malley each had two hits for URI.
Junior Matt Mongiardini allowed two earned runs in seven innings, scattering only six hits. He falls to 6-5 with the loss.
Temple falls to 7-4 in A-10 Tournament openers and 16-17 overall in the conference tourney.
