By: Wichita State
Box Score FORT MYERS, Fla. ? The Shockers opened the 2009 season with an 8-4 win against Temple in the Florida Gulf Coast Invitational. Juniors Cody Lassley and Clint McKeever each drove in two runs, while Tim Kelley gave up one run in six innings to earn the win.
Ryan Jones went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Andrew Letourneau, Will Baez and Kevin Hall also had hits in the game.
The Owls opened up with a run in the bottom of the first. After WSU starter Tim Kelley hit Carmen Del Mastro with one out, he advanced to second on a throwing error by Kelley on a pickoff throw to first and then stole third. A single by Mark Ortega scored Del Mastro to give Temple the early lead.
Kelley worked out of a jam in the fourth after allowing a one out single by Kyle Obal and a double to left center by Jamie Abercrombie to put runners at second and third with one out. Kelley struck out Lenny DelGrippo and Steve Mury to end the inning.
The Shockers got on the board in the fifth after a lead off walk to Clint McKeever. Owl pitcher Dan Moller then threw wildly over to first to move McKeever to second and Del Grippo threw wildly back to the infield to move McKeever to third. Cody Lassley laced a double down the left field line to drive in McKeever and moved over to third on a deep ball to center by Josh Rosecrans. With the infield pulled in, Tyler Grimes hit a chopper to third base and instead of throwing home to get Lassley, the third baseman threw to first to get Grimes and Lassley scored to give the Shockers a 2-1 lead.
WSU added another run in the sixth. With one out, Will Baez doubled to left center and scored on a single by Lassley to put WSU up 3-1.
The Shocks opened the game up in the seventh with four runs on three doubles and two walks. Kevin Hall, Andrew Letourneau and McKeever each had a double, while Letourneau, Chris O'Brien and McKeever all drove in runs.
The Owls would not go away as they opened the eighth with three-straight singles to load the bases. A passed ball scored the first run of the inning, while a ground out and a double scored two more. With one out, the Shockers turned to senior pitcher Max Hutson and he responded with a ground out and a strikeout to end the inning. The teams headed to the ninth with WSU leading 7-4.
WSU added a run in the ninth and Hutson struck out the side in the bottom half to give the Shockers an 8-4 win.
Temple starter Steve Nikorak pitched 3.1 scoreless innings before being pulled from the game with an apparent arm injury with a full count on Will Baez in the top of the fourth inning. Reliever Dan Moller took the loss going three innings and giving up seven runs on five hits.
The Shockers next take on host Florida Gulf Coast at 7 p.m. Central time on Saturday.
-Wichita State-