Baseball Drops Series Rubber Match at N.C. A&T, 3-1

Sunday, February 26

Greensboro, N.C.

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

2-4

North Carolina A&T

3-4

Temple

North Carolina A&T

Steve Nikorak

Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Baseball Drops Series Rubber Match at N.C. A&T, 3-1

2.26.12 | Baseball

Box Score

Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. – After a split in Saturday's doubleheader, Temple dropped the series' rubber match with the North Carolina A&T Aggies, 3-1 at War Memorial Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Redshirt senior Steve Nikorak was tabbed with his second loss of the season, while Aggies' starter Brent Moore improved to 1-1. With two weekend series now in the books, Temple's overall record stands at 2-4.

The Cherry and White fell behind in the second inning of Sunday's game when A&T's Luke Tendler belted a solo home run off of Nikorak.

Nikorak, went on to retire eight of the next 10 batters he faced over, keeping the margin close and in control for the Owls when they went to the dish.

In the top of the fifth, TU would find its way back into the contest when Elijah Yarborough's base hit of off Aggies' starter Brent Moore scored Jordan Queja from second base. Queja reached base on his base knock with two out and then stole second before coming all the way around on Yarborough's game-tying RBI.

The Aggies put up a threat in their half of the sixth by putting runners on the corners with only one away.

Nikorak turned the ball over to Brant Norlander at that point while being held responsible for the two runners aboard.

Norlander let up a single to Marqui Riley, adding to Norlander's line, which would be capped after Norlander stranded Kelv Freeman at second base on Mark Nales' ground out.

Temple looked to even the score once again, but its woes continued, as it stranded a runner on base for the seventh straight inning.

A&T picked up an insurance run in its half of the seventh when Andre McKoy scored on Stefa Jordan's sacrifice fly.

Sophomore Matt Hockenberry took over for the Owls with one out in the seventh with a man on.

Hockenberry stranded the inherited runner and got Temple out of the inning without enduring any more harm.

Nikorak, who batted as the designated hitter, led off the eighth for the Owls with a single. Senior Jabair Khan worked to move him over, but forced Nikorak out at second on the fielder's choice.

Kahn moved into scoring position after snagging second base, but Temple couldn't get anything else going and would strand its eighth base-runner of the day.

In the eighth, Brian Susteric was brought in to pitch. He kept the Owls near the Aggies, as he pitched a 1-2-3 inning to take them into the ninth for one last chance.

Andrew Cook came in for the save opportunity for the Aggies in the ninth, which he converted by setting down all three TU batters.

Next up for Temple, it will head to Farmville, Va. for a four-game series with Longwood, which is set to begin on Friday at 3:00 p.m. The Owls will be opening what will be six straight games below the Mason-Dixon Line, where they will face three schools: Longwood, Virginia Commonwealth and George Mason.