Temple University Athletics
Saturday, March 24
St. Louis, Mo.
1:00 p.m.
Temple University
at
Saint Louis
Matt Hockenberry
Baseball Opens A-10 Docket at Saint Louis This Weekend
3.23.12 | Baseball
Live Stats | Listen Live | Weather
Probables
Friday, 6:00 p.m.: RHP Matt Hockenberry vs. RHP Alex Alemann
Saturday, 1:00 p.m. : LHP Patrick Peterson vs. RHP Clay Smith
Sunday, Noon: RHP Steve Nikorak vs. LHP Damian Rivera
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Atlantic 10 Conference play begins Friday night for the Temple Owls as they open league play with the Saint Louis Billikens in a three-game weekend at the Billiken Sports Center. Temple has won seven of its last nine games, standing 10-11 on the year, while the Billikens are 16-5 and are looking to extend a school-record 10-game winning streak and maintain a perfect 6-0 record at home this season.
Getting the series started for the Owls will be sophomore Matt Hockenberry, who is 3-0 and coming off a win last Friday against Saint Peter's. On the year, the right hander owns a 4.21 earned run average.
On the other side, Temple will be going up against one of the top pitchers in the nation when Alex Alemann goes to the hill for the Billikens. Alemann owns a 4-0 record with two complete games on his line. Most impressive is his microscopic ERA, which is ranked fifth in the nation at 0.74. The Billiken righty is averaging just four hits allowed per game. Teams are hitting just .134 against him.
Temple is coming off a hard-fought 6-3 win over the La Salle Explorers on Wednesday afternoon. The win for the Owls snapped La Salle's five-game win streak and its undefeated start at home this season. For the second straight game, the Owls will be looking to spoil both types of win streaks for Saint Louis.
Redshirt junior Matt Elko's bat has been hot over the past week and a half. Over the last six games, the Owls first baseman and utility player is batting a team-best .360 with seven runs scored, nine runs batted in with three doubles. Elko is slugging .560 in that span and has also collected a team-high 14 total bases helping him hold a .429 on base percentage. On Wednesday at La Salle, Elko put the Owls in front when he ripped an RBI-double to score two runs in the sixth inning.
Offensively, the Owls are on a tear. Of its nine everyday hitters, seven are batting .304 or higher. Redshirt senior Steve Nikorak is carrying the team with a.325 hitting average. On the year Nikorak has 26 hits and is ranked first in the A-10 and 15th in the NCAA in runs scored with 25.
With nine doubles on the year, cleanup hitter junior Elijah Yarborough leads the conference and is ranked 17th in the nation in two-baggers. Yarborough is on the nation's leaderboard in sacrifice flies with four, ranking him sixth in the nation.
Redhsirt junior Steve Visnic is coming off an outing where he did not allow a run in 3.1 innings of work at La Salle on Wednesday. Visnic has allowed just two runs in his 10 appearances to date.
Saint Louis has been off to a torrid start. Through its 21 games, the Billikens are hitting .309 as a team and have accounted for 143 runs.
Marco Diroma is leading the team for a .404 batting average through 61 plate appearances, where he has gone 19-for 47 with 14 walks in 15 games.
Steve Fernandez, who is batting .389, leads the team with 22 runs batted in. Alex Kelly leads the team with 29 hits and three home runs.
Out of the 'pen for the Billikens, Travis Parker has been one of the nation's most dominating closers to this point. In nine appearances, Parker has pitched 10.0 innings, where he has notched four saves. With a 2-0 record, Parker is yet to allow a run, putting his ERA at a perfect 0.00.
Defensively, the Billikens are backing their pitchers with a .974 fielding percentage. Five of the team's eight starting fielders are yet to commit an error this season.
Due to technical issues, Series Notes are not available for this weekend's matchup, but will return next week for the Owls' series with Monmouth.
Probables
Friday, 6:00 p.m.: RHP Matt Hockenberry vs. RHP Alex Alemann
Saturday, 1:00 p.m. : LHP Patrick Peterson vs. RHP Clay Smith
Sunday, Noon: RHP Steve Nikorak vs. LHP Damian Rivera
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Atlantic 10 Conference play begins Friday night for the Temple Owls as they open league play with the Saint Louis Billikens in a three-game weekend at the Billiken Sports Center. Temple has won seven of its last nine games, standing 10-11 on the year, while the Billikens are 16-5 and are looking to extend a school-record 10-game winning streak and maintain a perfect 6-0 record at home this season.
Getting the series started for the Owls will be sophomore Matt Hockenberry, who is 3-0 and coming off a win last Friday against Saint Peter's. On the year, the right hander owns a 4.21 earned run average.
On the other side, Temple will be going up against one of the top pitchers in the nation when Alex Alemann goes to the hill for the Billikens. Alemann owns a 4-0 record with two complete games on his line. Most impressive is his microscopic ERA, which is ranked fifth in the nation at 0.74. The Billiken righty is averaging just four hits allowed per game. Teams are hitting just .134 against him.
Temple is coming off a hard-fought 6-3 win over the La Salle Explorers on Wednesday afternoon. The win for the Owls snapped La Salle's five-game win streak and its undefeated start at home this season. For the second straight game, the Owls will be looking to spoil both types of win streaks for Saint Louis.
Redshirt junior Matt Elko's bat has been hot over the past week and a half. Over the last six games, the Owls first baseman and utility player is batting a team-best .360 with seven runs scored, nine runs batted in with three doubles. Elko is slugging .560 in that span and has also collected a team-high 14 total bases helping him hold a .429 on base percentage. On Wednesday at La Salle, Elko put the Owls in front when he ripped an RBI-double to score two runs in the sixth inning.
Offensively, the Owls are on a tear. Of its nine everyday hitters, seven are batting .304 or higher. Redshirt senior Steve Nikorak is carrying the team with a.325 hitting average. On the year Nikorak has 26 hits and is ranked first in the A-10 and 15th in the NCAA in runs scored with 25.
With nine doubles on the year, cleanup hitter junior Elijah Yarborough leads the conference and is ranked 17th in the nation in two-baggers. Yarborough is on the nation's leaderboard in sacrifice flies with four, ranking him sixth in the nation.
Redhsirt junior Steve Visnic is coming off an outing where he did not allow a run in 3.1 innings of work at La Salle on Wednesday. Visnic has allowed just two runs in his 10 appearances to date.
Saint Louis has been off to a torrid start. Through its 21 games, the Billikens are hitting .309 as a team and have accounted for 143 runs.
Marco Diroma is leading the team for a .404 batting average through 61 plate appearances, where he has gone 19-for 47 with 14 walks in 15 games.
Steve Fernandez, who is batting .389, leads the team with 22 runs batted in. Alex Kelly leads the team with 29 hits and three home runs.
Out of the 'pen for the Billikens, Travis Parker has been one of the nation's most dominating closers to this point. In nine appearances, Parker has pitched 10.0 innings, where he has notched four saves. With a 2-0 record, Parker is yet to allow a run, putting his ERA at a perfect 0.00.
Defensively, the Billikens are backing their pitchers with a .974 fielding percentage. Five of the team's eight starting fielders are yet to commit an error this season.
Due to technical issues, Series Notes are not available for this weekend's matchup, but will return next week for the Owls' series with Monmouth.
Ep. 24: Cross Country/Track & Field Coach Elvis Forde
Friday, November 21
Ep. 23: Former Men's Basketball Standout Marc Jackson Speaks on Mental Health
Wednesday, November 19
Ep. 22: Owls Sports Update from David & Amelia
Tuesday, November 18
Ep. 21: Former Head Fencing Coach Dr. Nikki Franke
Friday, November 14
