Temple University Athletics
Hawks Sweep Owls In Friday Doubleheader
4.10.09 | Baseball
April 10, 2009
Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score
PHILADELPHIA - Saint Joseph's knocked Temple out of first place in the Atlantic 10 with a doubleheader sweep of the Owls on Friday at La Salle's Hank DeVincent Field. The Hawks won the opener, 9-4, and the nightcap, 11-6. Senior Sean Barksdale had four hits on the day, including two home runs, and drove in three.
In game one, SJU jumped on the scoreboard with seven runs in the first two innings to take a 7-1 lead. Drew Smith had a two-run triple in the second as part of the five run frame.
Temple came back to score two runs in the third to cut the deficit to 7-3. Senior Carmen Del Mastro lined his second hit of the day to lead off the inning and Barksdale doubled. Senior Kyle Obal, who had a sacrifice fly in the first, plated a run on a groundout and classmate Mark Ortega scored Barksdale on a sacrifice fly.
Hawk starter Randy Mower mowed down the Owls following Barksdale's double, retiring 13 of the next 14 batters. He allowed four runs in eight innings, striking out four to improve to 4-3. Last season, the southpaw threw a complete game shutout in a 3-0 SJU victory over Temple.
Barksdale had an RBI single in the seventh to complete the scoring for the Cherry and White, who have dropped five straight games. The co-captain continued his torrid week at the plate (.450, four homers) and moved into third place on the all-time RBI list (138) with former major leaguer Bobby Higginson and into fifth place on the all-time hit list (195).
Sophomore Ben White suffered the loss after allowing six earned runs in two innings. He falls to 2-3. Classmate Jordan Cannon threw well in relief, striking out five in six innings and allowing just one earned run.
Del Mastro, who left the game after his second hit with an ankle injury and his replacement, sophomore Rafael Cordero each had two hits.
Temple (13-17, 8-3 A-10) opened up a 4-1 lead after three but the Hawks would dominate the middle frames to win 11-6 in the nightcap.
Cordero had a two-out single in the second to tie the game at 1-1, and the Owls scored three in the third to take a 4-1 lead. Junior Tony Jusino scored sophomore Byron McKoy, who singled to lead off the inning, on a groundout. Obal singled and Ortega walked to set up freshman Jabair Khan, who doubled home two runs to make it 4-1.
Barksdale would provide the only offense from that point on. He crushed a pair of towering home runs to deep left-center and now leads the team with nine on the season, setting a new career-high.
Khan would be the only other Owl to record a base hit after the third besides Barksdale. The freshman is now batting .450 in A-10 games.
SJU (13-16, 7-4) took advantage of four walks and a hit batter to score three runs in the fourth to tie the game. The Hawks took the lead for good on Matt Barnathan's two-out single in the sixth and Dewey Oriente opened the game up two batters later with his three-run double.
Saint Joseph's added three runs in the seventh for some additional insurance.
Freshman Dan Moller suffered the loss after allowing seven earned runs in 5.2 innings. Junior Mike Click pitched two innings of scoreless relief, striking out three for the Owls.
McKoy, Barksdale and Khan, all had two hits each, and combined for six of TU's eight hits in the game.
Ben Wendle (1-0) picked up the win in relief, throwing four innings and allowing one earned run.
The two teams will conclude the series at La Salle's Hank DeVincent Field on Saturday. First pitch has been changed to 2 PM due to morning rain in the forecast.
