Temple University Athletics
Sunday, February 27
High Point, N.C.
1:00 p.m.
Temple University
6
at
12
High Point
Ryan Ferguson
Baseball Falls To High Point In Series Finale, 12-6
2.27.11 | Baseball
Early deficit too much for Owls to overcome
Box Score
HIGH POINT, N.C. - An early lead from High Point (3-5) in the series finale was too much for the Owls, as the Temple baseball team fell 12-6 to the Panthers. Temple (3-3) attempted to fight back into it with five runs over the final three frames, but could not complete the comeback.
Freshman Matt Hockenberry endured a tough outing in the start for the Owls. One week after throwing a solid 6.2 innings of work at North Carolina Central to earn his first career win, Hockenberry was pulled after 2.1 innings today. Freshman Zach Batchelor picked up where he left off, giving up one run over 2.2 innings. Redshirt-junior Steve Nikorak finished the game by holding the Panthers scoreless over the final three frames.
HPU's Mike Caldwell earned the win giving up no earned runs over six innings of work. Three Panthers combined to close out the game for High Point to capture the series sweep.
Hockenberry came out firing in the bottom of the first, putting the home team down in order. The second inning would be problematic for the Owls, however, as High Point put up eight runs on six hits in the frame.
The Owls chipped into the deficit with one run in the third, as sophomore Dan Dragos started a two-out rally with an infield single. On the play, Dragos advanced on a throwing error by the second baseman, moving to third on a balk and scoring on an infield single by senior Adrian Perez.
What work Temple had just done would be erased by two more runs in the bottom of the frame by High Point. The Panthers would put up two more in the fifth, holding the Owls scoreless until the top of the seventh.
Temple found a spark in sophomore Elijah Yarborough, who started the inning by reaching base on an error by the left fielder. Junior Cameron Green stepped in as the next batter and ripped a double to center, plating Yarborough. With the next two hitters grounding out, senior Byron McKoy drew a walk to start a two-out rally. Dragos picked up his second hit of the day, singling through the left side to plate Green and McKoy.
Nikorak kept the Panthers off the board in the bottom of the seventh, contributing at the plate in the top of the eighth to help TU cut into the High Point lead. Ferguson led off the frame with a double to center, scoring on a double right by Nikorak. Nikorak would move over on a wild pitch, plating on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Henry Knabe to make the score 12-6.
Another scoreless frame on the mound by Nikorak gave Temple a fighting chance in the ninth. Back-to-back doubles with one out by Perez and Ferguson started the rally for the Owls, but HPU's Mikel Rodenberg forced a grounder by Nikorak that started a game ending double play.
Ferguson led the Owls today going four-for-five at the plate, while Perez and Dragos each picked up two hits and drove in one run. Temple played it solid in the field committing just one error on the game and four over the series.
The Owls have on final road trip before their home opener, traveling to Elon to play West Virginia (3/5) and Elon (3/6) next weekend.
HIGH POINT, N.C. - An early lead from High Point (3-5) in the series finale was too much for the Owls, as the Temple baseball team fell 12-6 to the Panthers. Temple (3-3) attempted to fight back into it with five runs over the final three frames, but could not complete the comeback.
Freshman Matt Hockenberry endured a tough outing in the start for the Owls. One week after throwing a solid 6.2 innings of work at North Carolina Central to earn his first career win, Hockenberry was pulled after 2.1 innings today. Freshman Zach Batchelor picked up where he left off, giving up one run over 2.2 innings. Redshirt-junior Steve Nikorak finished the game by holding the Panthers scoreless over the final three frames.
HPU's Mike Caldwell earned the win giving up no earned runs over six innings of work. Three Panthers combined to close out the game for High Point to capture the series sweep.
Hockenberry came out firing in the bottom of the first, putting the home team down in order. The second inning would be problematic for the Owls, however, as High Point put up eight runs on six hits in the frame.
The Owls chipped into the deficit with one run in the third, as sophomore Dan Dragos started a two-out rally with an infield single. On the play, Dragos advanced on a throwing error by the second baseman, moving to third on a balk and scoring on an infield single by senior Adrian Perez.
What work Temple had just done would be erased by two more runs in the bottom of the frame by High Point. The Panthers would put up two more in the fifth, holding the Owls scoreless until the top of the seventh.
Temple found a spark in sophomore Elijah Yarborough, who started the inning by reaching base on an error by the left fielder. Junior Cameron Green stepped in as the next batter and ripped a double to center, plating Yarborough. With the next two hitters grounding out, senior Byron McKoy drew a walk to start a two-out rally. Dragos picked up his second hit of the day, singling through the left side to plate Green and McKoy.
Nikorak kept the Panthers off the board in the bottom of the seventh, contributing at the plate in the top of the eighth to help TU cut into the High Point lead. Ferguson led off the frame with a double to center, scoring on a double right by Nikorak. Nikorak would move over on a wild pitch, plating on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Henry Knabe to make the score 12-6.
Another scoreless frame on the mound by Nikorak gave Temple a fighting chance in the ninth. Back-to-back doubles with one out by Perez and Ferguson started the rally for the Owls, but HPU's Mikel Rodenberg forced a grounder by Nikorak that started a game ending double play.
Ferguson led the Owls today going four-for-five at the plate, while Perez and Dragos each picked up two hits and drove in one run. Temple played it solid in the field committing just one error on the game and four over the series.
The Owls have on final road trip before their home opener, traveling to Elon to play West Virginia (3/5) and Elon (3/6) next weekend.
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