Long Ball Proves Lethal As Owls Defeat Dayton, 8-3, To Take Second Straight A-10 Series

Sunday, May 6

Ambler, Pa.

Noon

Temple University

18-29, 6-12

Dayton

22-26, 11-7

Dayton

Temple

Photo by: Mitchell Leff

Long Ball Proves Lethal As Owls Defeat Dayton, 8-3, To Take Second Straight A-10 Series

5.6.12 | Baseball

Box Score

AMBLER, Pa. –The Owls blasted a season-high three home runs and defeated second place Dayton for the second time in the last three days. With an 8-3 victory at Skip Wilson Field on Sunday afternoon behind a strong start by freshman left-hander Patrick Peterson, the Owls won their second straight Atlantic 10 weekend series and have now reeled off five A-10 wins in their last seven chances.

Senior Jabair Khan, redshirt senior Steve Nikorak and redshirt freshman Connor Reilly brought the offensive attack for the Owls, as they each homered to help the team to victory.

Temple (18-29, 6-12) got a first inning run on senior Foster Dunigan's hit through the left side that scored junior Jordan Queja.

After Peterson set the side down in order in the second inning, the Owls increased their lead in the bottom of the inning on Khan's solo shot that made it 2-0.

Dayton (22-26, 11-7) found ways to generate offense of its own, cutting the Owls' advantage in half in the third inning before tacking on two runs in the fifth to go ahead, 3-2.

Now trailing by a run in their half of the fifth, the Owls retaliated and regained their two-run lead.

With Nikorak and Dunigan already on the basepaths, Reilly found his stroke and delivered with a three-run bomb out into left field to put Temple up, 5-3.

The momentum carried over to the diamond in the ensuing inning, as Peterson once again retired all three batters he faced in the sixth inning.

Returning to the plate, the Owls matched their fifth inning run total with another three spot.

With freshman Nick Lustrino and Khan already on base, Queja grounded to the second baseman, who got the force out at second, but on the double play attempt, the ball bounced out of the first baseman's glove, allowing Queja to reach base and Khan to cross the plate.

Nikorak came to the plate with Queja at first and belted a 1-1 pitch over the left field fence for his sixth dinger of the year.

Working with an 8-3 lead, Peterson went back out to pitch the seventh. Surrendering leadoff hits to Ian Hundley and Bobby Glover, he worked his way out of the inning without enduring anymore damage.

Redshirt junior Steve Visnic made his 81st appearance of his career in the Cherry and White and was dominant, as he let up just one hit over the two innings of work. Josh Jeffrey was the only batter to reach base for Dayton with Visnic on the mound.

The series win over Dayton marks the first time since 2009 that the Owls have won back-to-back A-10 series.

From here, the Owls will have off from playing a midweek non-conference game, due to final exams. Temple will pick up action on Thursday when it opens a three-game set in Olean, N.Y. against St. Bonaventure.