Trying to avoid a fifth-straight loss, Temple came out strong on Sunday against Louisville. But then the Cardinals’ offense once against wreaked havoc on the Owls’ pitching, and Louisville completed their sweep with an 11-3 win.
Temple’s runs came in the top of the first inning. Sophomore first baseman Kelsey Dominik knocked a three-run home run to center field, driving in senior shortstop Sarah Prezioso and freshman catcher Kaylyn Zierke, who had both singled earlier in the inning.
The Cardinals scored one unearned run in the bottom of the first, and then Temple’s right-handed junior Jessica Mahoney kept them off the board until the fourth inning.
In the fourth, Louisville sent nine batters to the plate and scored five runs. One of those runs came home on a wild pitch by Mahoney, and another run scored when Zierke tried to throw out a runner who was attempting to steal second.
Prezioso doubled and advanced to third in the top of the fifth, but the Owls could not drive her home.
In the bottom of the frame, Louisville’s Maryssa Becker hit a two-run shot to put the Cardinals up by a score of 8-3. The next batter doubled, and then Temple coach Joe DiPietro pulled Mahoney in favor of senior righty Kylie Kristovich. Kristovich got out of the fifth inning, but then struggled in the sixth. She gave up a lead-off home run, and then the Cardinals scored a pair of two-out runs to take a 11-3 lead. The game was called because of the eight-run mercy rule.
Mahoney took the loss. She is now 2-8 on the season with a 4.70 ERA.
The Owls are now 15-25 overall and 5-10 in the American Athletic Conference.
Temple will now head home to play a doubleheader against Drexel on Wednesday, in what will be the Owls’ first home game since Apr. 13, and only their fourth home game overall. The team has had 11 home games cancelled due to inclement weather or bad field conditions.
Temple’s first game against Drexel will start at 2:30 p.m.
Don McDermott can be reached at donald.mcdermott@temple.edu.
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