Temple University Athletics
Moller's Gem Leads Temple Past Duquesne, 6-2
3.21.09 | Baseball
March 21, 2009
AMBLER, PA - Freshman Dan Moller earned his first collegiate victory with seven-plus strong innings to lead Temple to a 6-2 victory over Duquesne on Saturday at Skip Wilson Field. The southpaw struck out seven in 7.1 innings while walking just one. The Cherry and White has now won two straight and four of its last five.
"I felt like I had good command of my fastball today," Moller said. "My slider was biting pretty sharp and they were chasing it in the dirt."
The rookie scattered six hits in his 7.1 innings of work and stranded runners on third on two separate occasions. He is now 1-0 with a 4.26 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 12.2 innings over his past two outings.
Senior Sean Barksdale led the Temple offense with three hits, including a towering home run to center, his team-leading fourth of the season. He fell a triple short of the cycle, raising his average to .362, and scored three runs. The co-captain has hit safely in nine straight games, batting .447 during that span.
The Owls were efficient at the plate, scoring three of their six runs via groundouts. TU took a 1-0 lead in the second on freshman Taylor Juran's RBI groundout. The first baseman was facing a familiar face in his older brother, Ryan, who suffered the loss for Duquesne after throwing 7.1 innings and allowing six earned runs.
Senior Carmen Del Mastro beat out an infield single and moved to second on an error to start the third and later scored on Barksdale's single. Sophomore Byron McKoy followed with a double down the left field line and senior Kyle Obal and junior Tony Jusino drove in runs on groundouts to put the Owls ahead 4-0.
The Dukes (3-17, 0-2 A-10) answered with two runs in the fourth but would draw no closer. Barksdale's solo shot to center made it 5-2 in the fifth and Jusino's RBI double added an insurance run in the eighth.
Junior Matt Blackburn recorded the final five outs for his first save of the season.
Del Mastro had two hits and Jusino drove in two runs for Temple (6-10, 2-0 A-10).
Andrew Heck led Duquesne with two hits.
The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 PM.
NOTES: A Temple win would even the all-time series at 16-16...The Owls are looking for a three-game sweep to open conference play for the second straight season and the first time since joining the A-10 in 1983.
