Wilson, N.C. (2/23/14) – The Owls fell in both games of a doubleheader Sunday as Rider and UMASS Lowell downed Temple 7-2 and 14-3 respectively. After winning their opening game against Rider, the Owls finish their weekend (1-2) in Wilson, N.C.
UMASS Lowell was the Owls’ first opponent on the day. 1B Robert Amaro got things going early for the Owls smacking a RBI single to left giving the Owls a 1-0 lead in the first.
The River Hawks responded with two runs in the top of the second as 2B Kelly Rooney tied the game up on a fielder’s choice RBI and was followed by freshman RF Ian Strom who doubled in a run. UMASS Lowell takes the early 2-1 lead.
The River Hawks would tack on another run in the third as cleanup hitter Jimmy Ricoy drove in a run with a single to left. Temple SP Simon Mathews got out of a jam with the bases loaded and one down as he got the next two hitters out avoiding a disaster. Down by two, LF Derek Peterson was looking to bring the Owls back scorching a RBI double to left center.
Only down one, Temple looked to go ahead against a team entering their first year of Division 1 baseball.
The upstarts continued to knock around Temple’s Mathews as he let Ricoy score on a wild pitch and gave up RBI singles to 3B Matthew Sanchez and DH Tyler Noe who hit home two. With the score 7-2 and only in the fourth, Temple pulled the plug on Mathews. It was a disappointing outing for the starter as he went only four innings letting up seven runs on 11 hits.
The River Hawks continued their offensive onslaught with two more runs in the sixth. Amaro once again clubbed a RBI double to left as Temple was trying to make the game somewhat competitive.
Rubbing salt in the already opened wound, UMASS Lowell put up a five spot in the ninth. Temple couldn’t drive in twelve and took the loss 14-3.
River Hawks’ SP Shane Beauchemin (1-0) went 6.0 innings letting up three runs on six hits while striking out nine Temple hitters. They were led by 1B Jimmy Ricoy on offense as the cleanup hitter went 3-4 with two RBI.
Owls’ starter Simon Mathews (0-1) takes the loss. Temple’s Robert Amaro continued his impressive start to the season going 3-4 with two RBI. The loss dropped the Owls to (1-1) on the year.
Following the loss, the Owls played Rider 45 minutes later in a rematch of Saturday’s game.
Looking to sweep the Broncos on the weekend, both teams struggled to put up runs early as pitching dominated most of the game. Rider SP Zach Mawson and Temple SP Preston Hill dueled most of the game as both pitchers only allowed one hit through five innings of work.
One could make the assumption that the Owls were sluggish on offense due to playing only a short time earlier as the Broncos had a full day to rest.
However, there were no excuses for what transpired in the Broncos sixth. 1B Justin Thomas highlighted the inning with a bases clearing triple as the Broncos dropped seven runs out of nowhere on the Owls after a scoreless game.
After Temple finally got on the board in the sixth, C Michael D’Acunti singled to center to drive in another run in the ninth. Temple couldn’t get anything going losing 7-2 for the game.
Rider’s Zach Mawson (1-0) dominated the Owls’ hitters only allowing one hit in six innings of work. RP Eric Thomas picked up the rare three inning save.
SP Preston Hill (0-1) contained the Bronco hitters until the sixth letting up seven runs and getting the unfortunate loss. RPs Zach Bachelor, Ryan Kuehn and Tim McCarthy pitched 3.1 innings of shutout relief and were a bright spot in the game for the Owls.
After scoring 15 in their first game, the Owls only put up five in their next two. If this team looks to be competitive, the offense needs to step up like they did in the opener.
The (1-2) Owls travel to Richmond, Va. next weekend facing the Virginia Commonwealth Rams in a three game series. Start time is 3:00 p.m. Friday.
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