Temple University Athletics
Billikens Complete Series Sweep Of Temple With 12-3 Win
5.10.09 | Baseball
May 10, 2009
AMBLER, PA - Saint Louis scored six runs in the first two innings and never looked back in completing the series sweep with a 12-3 victory over Temple on Sunday at Skip Wilson Field. Senior Carmen Del Mastro had a pair of triples in the loss.
The defeat gives the Owls an 11-12 record in Atlantic 10 play, which ties them with Saint Louis for seventh place in the standings. Fordham and Massachusetts are tied for fifth with identical 13-11 records. The top six teams qualify for the A-10 Championship on May 20-23 at Fifth Third Field in Dayton, OH.
Temple can nearly assure itself a berth in the tournament by sweeping Fordham in the final league series of the season, beginning on Thursday in the Bronx. That scenario would also require Rhode Island winning at least one game against Saint Louis.
There is a small chance of qualifying if the Cherry and White win two games at Fordham. It would require Duquesne (7-16 A-10) to sweep UMass and Rhode Island winning at least two versus Saint Louis.
The Billikens (27-24 overall) used three hits and a hit batter in the first, but TU answered in the bottom of the frame on a senior Sean Barksdale RBI double to make it 3-1.
Ben Braaten hit his second homer of the series, a two-run blast in the second, as part of a three-run inning that extended the lead to 6-1. The visitors added single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings and a three-spot in the ninth.
Temple (17-30) was kept off balance by southpaw Andrew Buckham (3-1). He scattered nine hits in the complete game victory, allowing three earned runs and striking out two.
Senior Mark Ortega had two hits for the Owls, including a triple. Freshmen Taylor Juran and Jabair Khan each had RBI doubles.
Sophomore Ben White suffered the loss after allowing six earned runs in five innings. He struck out four to fall to 3-5.
NOTES: Del Mastro's two triples ties a Skip Wilson Field record, also held by Monmouth's Kyle Massari (3/29/06)...Barksdale's 56 RBI this season are fifth on the single-season list and his 78 hits place him sixth...Tony Jusino had his team-best 16-game hitting streak snapped.
