Temple University Athletics
Colonials Rally Late To Beat Owls, 12-8, In Series Finale
5.4.08 | Baseball
May 4, 2008
ARLINGTON, VA - George Washington scored seven runs in its final three at-bats to beat Temple, 12-8, in the series finale on Sunday at Bancroft Park. The Owls collected 14 hits, led by juniors Kyle Obal and Jamie Abercrombie, who had three each. Junior Sean Barksdale singled, homered and drove in four runs.
Barksdale's three-run homer, his fifth of the season, gave Temple a 6-5 lead with two outs in the fifth. But from that point on, it was all GW, who scored two in the sixth, three in the seventh and two in the eighth to make it 12-6. Five of the Colonials' runs came with two outs during the late-game surge.
The Owls (21-24, 12-9 A-10) scored two runs in the ninth on RBI singles by Obal and Barksdale but the rally came up short. Five TU players had multi-hit games--junior Mark Ortega, who homered and singled, and freshman Steve Nikorak, who singled and doubled. Nikorak batted .357 during the series, with four of his five hits going for two bases.
Senior Stan Orzechowski led off the game with a home run, his fourth of the season. The centerfielder wrapped up a hot week at the plate in which he batted .526 (10-for-19).
George Washington (24-24, 10-11 A-10) took a 3-1 lead after scoring single runs in the first, second, and third innings off senior starter Mike Mongiardini. Temple bounced back to tie the game on Ortega's two-run home run. Ortega is now one of three Owls (Barksdale, freshman Byron McKoy) with five home runs this season.
The Colonials scored a pair of runs in the fifth to chase Mongiardini for sophomore Matt Blackburn, who escaped trouble in the fourth but suffered the loss after allowing two earned runs in two innings. He falls to 3-1.
Ryan LaPointe (3-3) pitched 4.1 innings of relief for the victory. He allowed two earned runs and stuck out five. Tom Zebroski had three hits and drove in two to lead the hosts.
The loss drops the Owls into fifth place in the A-10 standings with a 12-9 conference record. Temple holds a two-game lead over sixth-place George Washington, Dayton and Fordham, all of whom have 10-11 records. TU is a half-game behind fourth-place Rhode Island (12-8-1).
The Cherry and White will visit Delaware on Wednesday at 3 PM before hosting Dayton in another critical Atlantic 10 series beginning on Friday. TU is looking to make its first A-10 Tournament appearance since 2002.
