Skip Wilson's Temple Owls got a big three-run home run off the bat of sophomore Jason Connor (Norristown, Pa/Kennedy Kendrick) and went on to defeat Penn, 7-4, in the semi-final round of the Liberty Bell Classic. The Owls will play Saint Joseph's on Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. in the championship game. The Hawks were 7-1 winners over Delaware on Tuesday night.
Temple received a strong pitching performance from starter Matt Powell (Holland, Pa/Council Rock) through four innings and picked up a solid relief effort from Justin Mendek (Blackwood, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and Chris Kurtz (Richboro, Pa/Archbishop Wood) to win its second game in the Classic.
The Owls jumped in front in the home first on an RBI double by left fielder Al Roach (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) only to see Penn score two unearned runs in the third to take a 2-1 lead. Temple would tie the score in the bottom half of the inning on another RBI double by Roach and took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on a solo home run by Pete Colon (Birdsboro, Pa/Daniel Boone). It was Colon's second home run of the tournament.
The Owls broke the game open in the fifth. Third baseman Mike Silverman (Newtown, Pa/Council Rock) singled and went to second after a walk to Roach. Connor then followed with his second home run of the season to put the Owls up, 6-2.
Mendek came on in the fifth and pitched two scoreless innings before giving up a run in the seventh. Kurtz came on in the eighth to finish up and pick up the Owls first save of the season.
Designated hitter Mike Silverman (Newtown Square, Pa/St. Joseph's Prep) led the Owls hit brigade with three hits while Colon and Roach had two hits each. For Penn, shortstop Steve Glass had four hits for the losers.
Saint Joseph's and Temple, members of the Atlantic 10 Conference, have not met this season but will meet in the championship game on Wednesday night. The Hawks and Owls are also scheduled to meet in a three-game series at Saint Joseph's on April 12 and 13.
