Baseball team falls to Delaware in long-awaited home opener

With snow and cold temperatures dominating the late winter and early spring, the baseball team had gone its first 20 games without playing a game at home due to poor playing conditions at Ambler.

Like their previous three games, the Owls got behind early and never recovered. The University of Delaware tallied all 12 of its runs in the first four innings, en route to a 12-4 victory – spoiling the final home opener at Skip Wilson Field. The team will be cut in July after the Board of Trustees voted in December to eliminate several sports.

After getting swept over the weekend against Central Florida, Temple sent freshman pitcher – and usual midweek starter – Simon Matthews (0-4, 13.51 ERA) to the mound. Matthews gave up a leadoff double in the first inning that eventually scored. It  was the fourth consecutive game in which the Owls let their opponents score first for the fourth consecutive game.

Matthews lasted just two innings, allowing four runs on four hits in the second frame and the Blue Hens jumped out to a 5-0 lead.

Junior reliever Phil Gianakos couldn’t stop the bleeding, as Delaware smacked eight hits for seven runs during the next two innings and the Blue Hens led 12-0. All 12 runs given up by the Owls pitchers were earned.

Leadoff hitter and center fielder, Joe Giacchino, who went 3-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored, led Delaware’s offense. Designated hitter Greg Olenski went 3-3 with two doubles, four RBIs and three runs scored.

Blue Hens pitcher Kevin Miley scattered three hits during five innings of work, striking out six Owls while walking two.

Temple (7-14, 2-4 American) got three late-inning RBIs from senior first baseman Robert Amaro, who extended his team-lead to 23 RBIs on the season. Only one other player, senior third baseman Derek Peterson (11), has more than 10 RBIs.

With the home opener at Skip Wilson behind them, the Owls set their sights on another Opening Day on Friday.

The game Friday against Cincinnati will be the first of the year at the program’s new home site for conference games, Campbell’s Field in Camden, N.J.