May 13, 2008

Box Score

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa. - In its final regular season non-conference game, Villanova (27-24) was defeated 14-8 by Temple (24-26) on Tuesday afternoon at the Villanova Ballpark at Plymouth. The Wildcats ended a seven-game home winning streak and were defeated for only the fifth time at home this season.

It wasn't until the middle of the game that the picture turned bad for Villanova, which led 6-1 after five innings. However, the Owls scored nine unearned runs during a long sixth inning and went on to the final margin of victory. The Wildcats were tagged for a total of 11 unearned runs in a game where the two teams combined to use 37 different players.

Senior Dan Terpak (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) drove in runs in both the third and fourth innings and finished with two hits and two runs scored for the afternoon. Classmate James Dolbier (Lebanon, N.J.) gave Villanova its first lead of the game in the bottom of the third, when his team-high eighth home run of the season plated Terpak and put the Wildcats in front 3-1.

Terpak and senior Derek Shunk (Yardley, Pa.) pulled off a double steal in the bottom of the fourth inning which led to a run scoring and sophomore Justin Bencsko (Pompton Plains, N.J.) tripled in the bottom of the fifth to extend the lead to 6-1.

In the top of the sixth inning though, Temple sent 13 men to the plate and needed just five hits to score nine runs and take over the lead for good. Sean Barksdale finished 4-for-5 with three runs and four RBI for the Owls and Rafael Cordero had two hits, two runs scored and two driven in.

On the mound, starting pitcher Ryan Wendler (Conshohocken, Pa.) and redshirt freshman Chris Pack (Hinsdale, Ill.) combined to allow just one run on one hit through the first four innings. Sophomore Kevin Crimmel (Harrisburg, Pa.) retired the first two batters in the fifth inning and at that point the three Wildcat hurlers had collectively retired 13 batters in a row. The streak ended with a two-out walk to Ben Flanary and Crimmel (1-3, 5.53 ERA) eventually became the losing pitcher after falling victim to seven unearned runs.

Eric Fritz pitched two scoreless frames to get things started for Temple and four relievers followed. Steve Nikorak (2-3, 5.52 ERA) pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed one hit and one earned run to earn credit for the victory. The teams combined to have 13 pitchers throw 372 pitches in a nearly four-hour contest.

Villanova opens a three-game series against Big East-leading St. John's on Thursday at 4 p.m. This weekend's series with the Red Storm (also Friday at 4 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 p.m.) concludes the regular season. The Wildcats are on the cusp of clinching a second straight berth in the BIG EAST Championship, which will be held next week in Clearwater, Fla.