FROM PRESS RELEASE
NORRISTOWN, Pa. – Sophomore lefthander Randy Mower dazzled for nine innings as the Saint Joseph’s baseball team earned a 3-0 shutout win over Temple on Saturday afternoon. It is the first complete game shutout by an SJU pitcher since Al Braun blanked Duquesne, 7-0, on May 20, 2005.
Saint Joseph’s (9-15, 2-3 Atlantic 10) finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning, taking a 3-0 lead. A bunt single by Matt Barnathan and a pair of errors left the Hawks with runners on second and third with nobody out. After a strikeout, senior Chris Cashman was hit by a pitch to lad the bases with one out. Jeremy Jakubowski hit a comeback grounder to Temple pitcher Matt Mongiardini, whose throw home sailed past catcher Kyle Obal to allow Brian Hartsell score the first run of the game. A sacrifice fly by David Valesente put SJU up by two. Drew Smith poked a single through the right side to bring home Cashman with the third and final run of the game.
Mower was masterful, holding Temple (12-9, 4-1 Atlantic 10) to just three hits. He struck out six while walking just one and hitting a batter. He faced just four batters over the minimum in his second complete game of the season (March 11 at Seton Hall, a 5-2 win). Mower’s record improves to 3-2, matching his win total from 2007.
Mongiardini was strong early as well, as SJU managed only two hits through the first four innings. All three Hawk runs were unearned, as the Owls committed four errors, three of them in the pivotal fifth inning. His record falls to 4-1.
The teams will return to Latshaw-McCarthy Field on Sunday for the rubber game of the series. Temple will start senior righthander Mike Mongiardini (1-2, 4.05 ERA) while the Hawks will turn to a senior righthander of their own in Don Werner (2-2, 5.47 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for noon.
