Temple University Athletics
Rider Stuns Diamond Owls, 10-8, With Tenth Inning Homer
4.8.09 | Baseball
April 8, 2009
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - Rider scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game and Sean Olson hit a two-run walk-off home run in the tenth to give the Broncs a 10-8 come-from-behind victory over Temple on Wednesday at Sonny Pittaro Field. Senior Jamie Abercrombie became the fourth Owl in program history to reach the 200-hit plateau with his eighth inning single and classmate Mark Ortega singled, doubled, and homered for TU.
The late inning struggles, the second in as many days for the Cherry and White, spoiled a strong effort from freshman Tyler Horst, who made his second collegiate start. Horst allowed just one earned run in 6.2 innings, scattering seven hits and striking out four in the best outing of his young career.
Abercrombie singled for his 200th career hit, joining the trio of Bob Filler '01 (234 hits), Rob Cucinotta '03 (228) and Tom Whalen '96 (228) as the only Temple players with 200 or more hits.
Junior Tony Jusino also had three hits for TU, while sophomore Byron McKoy and senior Lenny DelGrippo each added two.
Leading 8-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Owls needed only six more outs to pick up their first win over Rider since 2004. Mason Heyne led off the inning with a triple and scored on a Steve Galella single, but junior reliever Kyle Monahan retired the next three batters to end the frame.
Monahan recorded the first out of the ninth, but a walk, hit batter and three straight singles made it 8-4. After a sacrifice fly for the second out, pinch-hitter Nick Wojnowski delivered the big blow with two strikes, a bases-clearing, three-run double that tied the score.
The Owls went down in order in the tenth and Monahan walked Hayes to lead off the bottom of the inning. Head coach Rob Valli turned to freshman Zach Pettis, a converted catcher. Pettis recorded the first out on a sacrifice bunt but Olson connected on his fifth homer of the season to end the game.
Temple (13-15) jumped out to a 6-1 lead after five. Senior Sean Barksdale hit his team-high seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot in the first to put the Owls on the board.
The Cherry and White scored three in the fourth to go ahead 5-0. Sacrifice flies by seniors Kyle Obal and Steve Mury accounted for two of the runs and DelGrippo ripped his tenth double of the season.
Jusino's RBI single made it 6-1 in the sixth and Ortega added a two-run home run in the eighth to make it 8-1.It was his fifth of the season.
Monahan (1-3) suffered the loss after allowing eight earned runs in 2.1 innings. Kris Brown (2-0) picked up the win for the Broncs (13-12) with two scoreless innings of relief.
Olson had three hits and drove in three to lead RU.
Temple will resume Atlantic 10 play on Friday at Saint Joseph's. First pitch is set for 3 PM.
NOTES: Seven seniors started for the Owls, who have lost their last three extra inning contests...It was the first game to go extra frames since April 28, 2007 vs. Saint Louis.
