Timely Hitting Sparks Owls To 7-1 Victory Over Monmouth

Sunday, April 1

Ambler, Pa.

1:00 p.m.

Temple University

12-15

Monmouth

13-12

Monmouth

Temple

Steve Nikorak blasted a two-run home run and led the Owls with four RBIs.

Timely Hitting Sparks Owls To 7-1 Victory Over Monmouth

4.1.12 | Baseball

Box Score

Temple wins its first series of the season

AMBLER – Redshirt senior third baseman Steve Nikorak smashed a two-run home run in the first inning and knocked in four runs during his 2-for-4 day, helping the Temple Owls defeat the Monmouth Hawks, 7-1, at Skip Wilson Field on Sunday afternoon. The Owls, who defeated Monmouth for the second time this weekend by sweeping a home-home set, win their first series of the season. Sophomore Matt Hockenberry started on the mound, where he had an impressive day, allowing the Owls to improve to 12-15 on the year.

Hockenberry, now 4-1 on the year, was sharp in his first inning of work, as he set down the Hawks in order, posting a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts and a pop out.

When the Owls came to the plate, Nikorak gave the Owls' starting right-handed pitcher a couple of runs to work with, as he belted his second home run of the season with freshman Nick Lustrino already on first base.

Monmouth put up an answer when it came back to the dish. Tim Bickford led off the inning with a double for the Hawks. Danny Avella laced a single, moving Bickford to third, who was later knocked in on a fielder's choice by Chris Perret.

The lone run is all Hockenberry would surrender through his 6.0 innings of work. During his outing, the Hanover, Pa. resident gave up six hits, struck out three, and walked just one batter.

In the second inning, the Owls continued to pester Monmouth starter Dan Smith. Temple put its first two batters of the inning on base, as juniors Elijah Yarborough walked and Foster Dunigan opened a 3-for-4 day with a base hit. A wild pitch with Nikorak at the plate, allowed Yarborough to score and move Dunigan to third before he came home on Nikorak's RBI-single, putting the Owls up 4-1.

Making his first appearance since his 1 hit over 8.0 innings in last Saturday's start at Saint Louis, freshman left-hander Patrick Peterson took over the rubber for the Owls in the seventh inning.

Peterson continued to put batters away as effectively, starting off his outing with a 1-2-3 inning.

The rookie southpaw phenom pitched the final three innings of the game and held the Hawks scoreless, allowing him to pick up his first career save.

Temple scored three run on five hits in the eighth inning before getting a single out, forcing the Hawks to make two pitching changes over the course of the frame.

David Hall pinch ran for redshirt freshman Connor Reilly after doubling to lead off the inning. Hall scored on senior Jabair Khan's second double of the game, who came in on Yarborough's single. With one out already away, Nikorak's sacrifice fly allowed Yarborough to score, to give Temple a commanding, 7-1, lead.

The Owls, who are now 12-12 in non-conference play and have won 11 of their last 14 non-league games, remain at home for their next contest, which will occur on Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. when they host the Lehigh Mountain Hawks for the consolation round game of the Liberty Bell Classic.