College Baseball: Temple Explodes for 7 Runs to earn 9-5 win over Rutgers

Media Release March 6, 2008

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Temple exploded for seven runs in the seventh inning to earn a 9-5 come-from-behind victory over Rutgers in a daylight-shortened home opener for the Scarlet Knights at Bainton Field on Wednesday afternoon. The game was called due to darkness after one batter in the top of the ninth inning.

The loss was the first for the Scarlet Knights in a home opener since the 2001 season when RU dropped an 8-5 decision to Seton Hall on March 23 of that season.

In a game where every Rutgers starter got a hit, the top-third of the Scarlet Knights\’ lineup collected nine of the team\’s 13 hits in the contest. Junior Tom Edwards (West Caldwell, N.J.) led the way with a 4-for-4 effort that included a double and two RBI.

In the first meeting between the schools since 1995, Rutgers looked dominant early with a 4-0 lead through five innings. On the mound, Scarlet Knight starter Jon McCue (Hillside, N.J.) allowed just one hit through four innings with three strikeouts. RU put its first run on the board with an RBI double to left field from Edwards in the third inning.

The top of the Rutgers order came through with four consecutive hits with one out in the fifth inning to produce three more runs and make it 4-0 in favor of the Scarlet Knights. Senior Jon Gossard (Harrington Park, N.J.) followed singles by Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.), Vic Cegles (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Edwards with a double to the gap in right-center field to produce the final run of the frame.

Temple cut the Rutgers lead in half with a pair of runs in the sixth, however Rutgers got one of those runs back when Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.) led off the bottom half of the frame with a double, was sacrificed over to third and scored on a Jimenez infield single to make it 5-2.

The Owls did their damage in the sixth, starting with back-to-back singles to lead off the frame which sent McCue out of the game. They continued their momentum against relievers Tony Wargo (New Providence, N.J.) and Matt Patterson (Passaic, N.J.) with four more hits, including a three-run home run off the bat of Mike Kelch against Patterson to give Temple a 9-5 advantage. Sophomore hurler Kevin Lillis (Fair Haven, N.J.) came in for the final two outs of the frame.

Rutgers loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom-half of the seventh but newly-inserted designated hitter Brandon Boykin (Teaneck, N.J.) came up just short in beating out a grounder to third base for an infield hit, ending the frame.

Sophomore Kyle Bradley (Howell, N.J.)worked a perfect eighth for Rutgers, but the Scarlet Knights failed to produce any runs in the bottom half of the inning as the Owls held on to the four-run lead.

Following a single off newly-inserted Jason Downey (Ballston Lake, N.J.) to begin the ninth, the umpires made the decision to call the game due to darkness.

Wargo (0-1) was saddled with the loss, giving up three runs on one hit in the seventh, while Matt Blackburn (1-0) picked up the victory for Temple, giving up a run on two hits in the sixth. McCue gave up four runs on eight hits with the three strikeouts before leaving in the sixth.