Temple University Athletics
Sunday, February 20
Durham, N.C.
2:00 p.m.
Temple University
16
at
2
North Carolina Central
Ryan Ferguson
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Baseball Completes Series Sweep With 16-2 Win Over North Carolina Central
2.20.11 | Baseball
Hockenberry earns first career win, Ferguson leads with five RBI
Box Score
DURHAM, N.C. - Behind a strong pitching performance from freshman Matt Hockenberry and a five-RBI day at the plate by senior Ryan Ferguson, the Temple baseball team (3-0) completed the series sweep of North Carolina Central (0-3) with a 16-2 win at Durham Athletic Park on Sunday afternoon.
Hockenberry (1-0) lasted 6.2 innings in his first collegiate start, earning the win with three strikeouts and only two earned runs. Redshirt-sophomore Steve Visnic came on in relief for Hockenberry, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Redshirt-junior Steve Nikorak made his first appearance of the year, closing the final inning allowing one hit and fanning two.
Ferguson went four-for-five at the dish with a double and three singles. Senior Byron McKoy (1-5, 1B, SAC) recorded three RBI, while senior Adrian Perez and sophomore David Hall (3-5, 2 RBI, 2B, HR) each drove in two runs.
Temple opened the game with two runs in the first, as a single to left by Ferguson was booted allowing two runs to score. The Owls would maintain the lead thanks to five straight scoreless innings of work by Hockenberry, who only allowed five runners to reach base in that span.
The Owls added two more in the fifth on an RBI single from McKoy, who scored later in the inning on a passed ball.
North Carolina Central broke the scoring drought with two in the bottom of the sixth on three hits, with Hockenberry working out of the jam by securing a lineout and groundout.
The majority of the Owls' runs came in the final three frames, as Temple plated 12 runs over the time. In the seventh, Hall got things started with a two-out double to left, scoring on a single by Perez. A single by Ferguson plated Perez.
A seven run eighth was highlighted by RBI-singles from Perez and senior Rafael Cordero, while Ferguson collected on a two-RBI double to right. Temple benefited from an error and several walks in the inning, only needing three big hits to do the damage.
Three more for Temple in the ninth moved the final score to 16-2. Senior Ben Flanary led off the frame with a double to left, scoring on a sacrifice fly by McKoy. Hall came up with one on as the next batter and smashed a two-run shot to left field.
Nikorak struck out the first two batters of the bottom of the ninth, allowing a hit to NCCU's Nate Smith and securing the final out on a pop up to short.
Over the first three games, Temple outscored its opponent 64-17. The Owls are starting out 3-0 for the first time since 1969, when the team won the first nine games of the year.
The Owls return to the Tar Heel State for a three-game set at High Point next weekend, February 20-22. First pitch for Friday and Saturday is set for 4:00 p.m., with the series finale on Sunday getting started at 1:00 p.m.
DURHAM, N.C. - Behind a strong pitching performance from freshman Matt Hockenberry and a five-RBI day at the plate by senior Ryan Ferguson, the Temple baseball team (3-0) completed the series sweep of North Carolina Central (0-3) with a 16-2 win at Durham Athletic Park on Sunday afternoon.
Hockenberry (1-0) lasted 6.2 innings in his first collegiate start, earning the win with three strikeouts and only two earned runs. Redshirt-sophomore Steve Visnic came on in relief for Hockenberry, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Redshirt-junior Steve Nikorak made his first appearance of the year, closing the final inning allowing one hit and fanning two.
Ferguson went four-for-five at the dish with a double and three singles. Senior Byron McKoy (1-5, 1B, SAC) recorded three RBI, while senior Adrian Perez and sophomore David Hall (3-5, 2 RBI, 2B, HR) each drove in two runs.
Temple opened the game with two runs in the first, as a single to left by Ferguson was booted allowing two runs to score. The Owls would maintain the lead thanks to five straight scoreless innings of work by Hockenberry, who only allowed five runners to reach base in that span.
The Owls added two more in the fifth on an RBI single from McKoy, who scored later in the inning on a passed ball.
North Carolina Central broke the scoring drought with two in the bottom of the sixth on three hits, with Hockenberry working out of the jam by securing a lineout and groundout.
The majority of the Owls' runs came in the final three frames, as Temple plated 12 runs over the time. In the seventh, Hall got things started with a two-out double to left, scoring on a single by Perez. A single by Ferguson plated Perez.
A seven run eighth was highlighted by RBI-singles from Perez and senior Rafael Cordero, while Ferguson collected on a two-RBI double to right. Temple benefited from an error and several walks in the inning, only needing three big hits to do the damage.
Three more for Temple in the ninth moved the final score to 16-2. Senior Ben Flanary led off the frame with a double to left, scoring on a sacrifice fly by McKoy. Hall came up with one on as the next batter and smashed a two-run shot to left field.
Nikorak struck out the first two batters of the bottom of the ninth, allowing a hit to NCCU's Nate Smith and securing the final out on a pop up to short.
Over the first three games, Temple outscored its opponent 64-17. The Owls are starting out 3-0 for the first time since 1969, when the team won the first nine games of the year.
The Owls return to the Tar Heel State for a three-game set at High Point next weekend, February 20-22. First pitch for Friday and Saturday is set for 4:00 p.m., with the series finale on Sunday getting started at 1:00 p.m.
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