Richmond, Va. (3/2/14) – The Owls finished a weekend once again in the loss column. The losing streak reached five games as the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams (10-1) steamrolled Temple 14-5 on Sunday.
Like previous games, VCU put up runs at the start with a RBI Triple by CF Bill Cullen and a RBI single by 1B Sam Dressler in the second. After failing to score with runners on in the third and fourth, the Owls finally got on the board in the fifth with a RBI ground out by 1B phenom Robert Amaro after CF Jimmy Kerrigan and DH Daniel Dragos led off the inning with singles.
Rams’ 3B Joey Cujas thwarted the Owls plans for a comeback with a two RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. Down 4-1 Temple pulled SP Preston Hill as the starter finished with 5.0 innings letting up four runs on six hits and four strikeouts.
Coming into the game hitting .190, SS Josh Mason hit a clutch triple in the top of the sixth as the tying run was at the plate with no outs. After a VCU strikeout by SP JoJo Howie, 2B Sean Arnott knocked home Mason as the Cherry and White were putting up a fight down one.
RP Patrick Vanderslice came in to relieve Hill but his help was anything but relief. VCU scored three one out runs after a Matt Davis two RBI single and wild pitch. LF Frank D’Agostino answered with a RBI double with his own and finished an impressive 2-5 with an RBI for the game. Temple needed a shutdown inning at this point down three and only three innings left to play.
C Chris Ayers knocked Vanderslice out of the game with a RBI single in the bottom of the inning and was followed by DH Logan Farrar who dashed the Owls’ hopes with a RBI Triple. He would score on a wild pitch as VCU’s seven run lead looked insurmountable.
Arnott once again knocked in a run via RBI groundout in the eighth but VCU put up a three spot on a two RBI single by Cullen, who was the man for VCU in the game going 3-5 with three RBI, and a wild pitch. The Rams would hold their nine run lead and finished their sweep of the Owls on the weekend.
SP Preston Hill (0-2) was dealt the loss for the Owls. Their bullpen was tragic for the game letting up 10 runs in only 3.0 innings of work. Lefty JoJo Howie (1-0) picked up the win for the Rams going a solid 5.0 innings letting up only one run on six hits and eight strikeouts.
Robert Amaro went 0-5 at the plate ending his season opening hitting streak at five games.
The Owls (1-5) face Radford in Virginia once again Wednesday for a double header, two games they need to turn their season around.
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