Temple University Athletics
Thomas Pitches Temple Past Cleveland State, 5-1
3.15.09 | Baseball
March 15, 2009
AMBLER, PA - Junior Ryan Thomas scattered four hits and did not allow an earned run in eight innings to lead Temple past Cleveland State, 5-1, on Sunday at Skip Wilson Field. The hard-throwing junior struck out six batters to snap the Owl's eight-game losing skid. Junior Tony Jusino was 4-for-4 to lead TU at the plate.
Thomas pitched a career-high eight innings and got stronger as the game went on. He did not allow a runner past first in his final three frames and struck out six batters, double his previous career-best. The junior lowered his ERA to 2.95 and improved to 1-1 with the victory.
The right-hander only needed to work out of jams in the first and third innings, leaving runners in scoring position both times. In the first he induced a two-out fly-out to right with a runner on third and in the third, got out of a first and second, two-out situation with a groundout.
"I felt good today," Thomas said. "This is a big win for us to turn the season around early and we have an important week coming up."
Temple got on the board with two runs in the second as senior Mark Ortega drove home classmate Jamie Abercrombie with a double and Taylor Juran knocked in Jusino, who singled, with a RBI groundout.
Juran, a freshman catcher, made his first career start at first base and had several nice plays. He made a diving stop in the first and fielded a ball that ricocheted off first base, grabbing it with his bare hand. He collected his first collegiate hit with a fourth-inning single.
Cleveland State (3-9) scored an unearned run in the fifth to cut the deficit to 2-1 and the game remained that way until the seventh. Jusino ripped a single to center to plate senior Sean Barksdale, who doubled with one out to make it 3-1. The Owls had the bases loaded with only one out but CSU reliever Drew Fronczek got out of the jam.
Barksdale blasted a two-run home run to eighth, his team best third of the season and 15th of his career, to give the Owls some insurance heading into the ninth.
Sophomore Jordan Cannon pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the win.
Senior Kyle Obal had three hits, including a double for Temple, while Barksdale added two.
Dylan Henry (1-2) suffered the loss for the Vikings after allowing thee earned runs in 6.1 innings. Alex Johnson had two hits for CSU.
Temple (3-9) visits Lehigh on Tuesday at 3:30 PM.
