Three-Run Lead Vanishes in 4-3 Walkoff Loss To George Washington; Teams To Play Doubleheader on Saturday

Friday, March 29

Washington, D.C

3:00 p.m.

Temple University

9-12, 1-3

George Washington

9-16, 4-0

Temple

George Washington

Three-Run Lead Vanishes in 4-3 Walkoff Loss To George Washington; Teams To Play Doubleheader on Saturday

3.29.13 | Baseball

Box Score

Note: Due to rain and thunderstorms in the forecast for Sunday, Temple and GW will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1:00 p.m.

ARLINGTON, Va. – Temple Baseball suffered a heartbreaking, 4-3, defeat on Friday afternoon in their weekend series opening game at George Washington. With two outs and one runner on base in the bottom of the ninth for the home team, the Colonials scored the game winning run on an error committed by senior Henry Knabe at third base.

The Owls led the entire game before losing in the ninth inning. The Colonials were down to their last out when pinch hitter Derek Brown hit a single to left field to tie the game before the Owls' third baseman Henry Knabe committed an error on a ground ball to allow the winning run to score in dramatic fashion.

Freshman catcher Michael D'Acunti had the Owls feeling comfortable after he smashed his second home run of the season in the top of the fourth inning, which put the team up 3-0. The catcher led the team's offensive production recording two RBIs as he added a RBI double in the second inning.

Sophomore Patrick Peterson dominated on the mound as he pitched 8.0 solid innings giving up only two runs before watching a heartbreak defeat as reliever Ryan Kuehn was charged with the loss. Peterson recorded his second-most strikeouts in a game this season with six while only allowing three hits in a no-decision. The starter's record remains 1-3 on the year.

Kuehn recorded his second loss of the year as he was unable to record the save for the Owls 10th win this year. He allowed the leadoff batter to reach base with a walk before the Colonials moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.

Juniors Derek Peterson and David Hall led the Owls in hits both batting 3-for-4 from the plate. Peterson nailed an RBI double out of the cleanup spot in the first inning to get the Owls on the board first. Peterson increased his team lead in RBIs to 21. Hall scored one run and hit a deep double in today's effort.

The Colonials scored four runs in the last four innings of the game on only four hits. Freshman Matthieu Robert nailed a solo homerun in the bottom of the fifth inning to open the scoring for the Colonials.

George Washington chipped away at the Owls two run lead in the eighth inning as they scored their second run on an RBI double from shortstop Matthew Murakami after a two-out walk.

Junior Luke Staub held the Colonials in the game as he battled to record 7.0 innings after allowing three runs, two earned, on 10 hits and one walk. He was relieved by Danny O'Donnell in the eighth inning to pitch a scoreless inning before junior Craig Lejeune pitched a perfect ninth inning to record his second win on the year.

Senior Allen Stiles was the Owls' fourth batter to record two or more hits in today's game as he went 2-for-4 from the dish. Meanwhile, sophomore Nick Lustrino's consecutive on base streak ends after he goes 0-for-5 from the plate today.

The Owls drop to 9-12 overall and 1-3 in the A-10, while the Colonials improve to an undefeated 4-0 record in conference play. Temple will look to even the series with George Washington on Saturday in the first game of the doubleheader tomorrow as Sunday's game has been moved up to Saturday due to a forecast of rain and thunderstorms. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. Sophomore Eric Peterson will get his fourth start of the season.