Temple University Athletics
Owls Edge Central Michigan, 8-7
2.21.09 | Baseball
Feb. 21, 2009
FORT MYERS, FL - Temple scored seven runs in the fourth inning and held off Central Michigan, 8-7, on Saturday at the Florida Gulf Coast Invitational. Junior Kyle Monahan earned the save after stranding the tying run at third while sophomore Byron McKoy had a three-run home run as part of the seven-run fourth.
Senior Kyle Obal and junior Tony Jusino each had two hits and two RBI for the Owls. Senior Sean Barksdale also added two hits.
In the fourth, senior Carmen Del Mastro and Barksdale singled to open the inning. Senior Mark Ortega followed with a walk to set the stage for Obal.
Making his second straight start as the designated hitter, Obal laced a double to left-center to plate two runs. After a walk to senior Jamie Abercrombie chased CMU starter Rick Dooridge, Chippewa reliever Jess Hernandez struck out the next two Owls looking to see his way out of the jam.
But Jusino singled up the middle, his first at Temple, to score two more runs and McKoy ripped his first home run of the season to quickly make it 7-0.
The Cherry and White (1-1) added an insurance run in the sixth. Jusino led off with a single and moved to third on an error by the CMU rightfielder. He then scored on Del Mastro's sacrifice fly to give the Owls an 8-2 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Central Michigan (1-2) parlayed a pair of walks and an error into four runs in the seventh and threatened again in the eighth. With the bases loaded and just one out, junior reliever Matt Blackburn induced an inning ending double play to keep Temple's lead at 8-6.
Monahan hit the first batter in the ninth, who later scored on back-to-back singles to cut the deficit to 8-7 for Central Michigan. But with runners on first and third, Monahan forced a pop-out to Del Mastro at second to end the game and give Temple its first win of the season.
Sophomore Jordan Cannon was credited with the win (1-0) after throwing 1.2 innings of relief of classmate Ben White. White struck out five in 4.1 innings and allowed two earned runs. Blackburn tossed two innings of scoreless relief.
Doodridge (0-1) suffered the loss for Central Michigan after allowing five earned runs in three innings. Scott Phillion had four hits for the Chippewas.
The Cherry and White will take on the host Eagles in the final game of the FGCU Invitational on Sunday at noon.
NOTES: The last time these two teams met was in the 1984 NCAA Tournament. Central Michigan eliminated the Owls with a 15-10 victory.
