For the second consecutive weekend, Temple baseball had its Friday game cancelled. This time, it was due to cold weather in Richmond, Va.
The offensive troubles continued for Temple on Saturday afternoon, as Temple dropped both games of a double-header to Virginia Commonwealth by a combined total of 15-2.
Since winning their season opener, Saturday marked four straight losses for the Owls – with a combined score in those losses of 36-7.
The first game went scoreless through three innings until Temple struck in the fourth. Sophomore catcher Michael D’Acunti ripped a single into left field, scoring senior outfielder Daniel Dragos – who had singled and stolen a base.
Temple was able to add to the lead in the fifth inning when Dragos drove in sophomore outfielder Jimmy Kerrigan with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Senior pitcher Matt Hockenberry started for Temple, and VCU was finally able to chase him from the game in the bottom of the sixth. After giving up three singles, Hockenberry was removed in favor of sophomore Connor Staskey with the bases loaded. Staskey was able to register an out to the first batter he faced, but he then lost control – walking in back-to-back runs to allow VCU to tie the game. Junior Zach White came in to get Temple out of the jam for the final out.
Both runs were charged to Hockenberry, who registered a no-decision after going 5.1 innings. Hockenberry gave up six hits and struck out four Rams.
The Rams added three runs off of White in the seventh inning, two earned, to take a 5-2 lead.
From there, the VCU bullpen set the next six Owls down in order to finish off the 5-2 win.
In the second leg of the double-header, Temple freshman pitcher Simon Matthews got touched up in the first inning for four runs on four hits as the Rams jumped out to the early lead.
The Owls mustered four hits for the game and never really had a chance. VCU pitcher Matt Blanchard was electric, tossing seven innings while striking out six Owls and conceding just two hits.
The wheels fell off for Temple in the fifth inning, when the Owls committed three errors in the field. VCU capitalized and scored six runs in the inning to take a 10-0 lead, the eventual final score.
The team’s will play again on Sunday, with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
