Championship Central
Box Score
Highlights
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Third baseman Frank D’Agostino went 3-for-5 with two home runs, a double and four RBIs to lead Temple to a 9-4 win against UConn Saturday in the final day of pool play in the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship at Bright House Field.
While Temple and UConn had been eliminated from advancing in the tournament, the Owls’ win sends Houston to Sunday’s final. Houston and UCF finished with a 2-1 record in Pool B, allowing the Cougars’ head-to-head win against the Knights from Friday to prevail as the tiebreaker. Temple and UConn finish 1-2 in pool play.
The result was bittersweet for Temple, which is discontinuing a baseball program that dates to 1927 and has made two College World Series appearances, including a third-place national finish in 1972. Saturday’s result sends the Owls out on a winning note as Temple closes its 2014 season at 15-32.
D’Agostino doubled in his first plate appearance and hit his first two home runs of the season in his next two at bats to help stake the Owls to 9-2 lead in the first four innings. He was one of four Temple players with at least three hits as second baseman Reyn Sugai was 4-for-6, centerfielder Jimmy Kerrigan was 3-for-6 and shortstop Derek Peterson was 3-for-5. The Owls’ 17 hits were one shy of their season-high of 18, set in the 2014 opener against Rider.
UConn saw first baseman Bobby Melley drive in two runs, while shortstop Tom Verdi went 2-for-5 and was the only player with multiple hits.
Temple starter Ryan Kuehn picked up the win, improving to 4-2 after he allowed just three hits and two runs (one earned) in five innings. Brian Ward took the loss for UConn, falling to 4-3.
While half of Sunday’s final pairing is set with Houston’s advancement to the championship game, the Cougars’ opponent will be decided by the final two games of pool play. All four teams in Pool A stand at 1-1 in the tournament.
2014 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bright House Field • Clearwater, Fla.
Tournament
Pool A Record
No. 1 Louisville 1-1
No. 4 Rutgers 1-1
No. 5 USF 1-1
No. 8 Memphis 1-1
Tournament
Pool B Record
*No. 3 Houston 2-1
No. 2 UCF 2-1
No. 6 Temple 1-2
No. 7 UConn 1-2
Houston advances to Sunday’s championship game
Wednesday, May 21 – Pool Play
UCF 7, UConn 1
Houston 3, Temple 0
Rutgers 10, USF 0 (7 innings)
Thursday, May 22 – Pool Play
UConn 7, Houston 2
Louisville 13, Memphis 3 (7 innings)
UCF 6, Temple 2
Friday, May 23 – Pool Play
Memphis 5, Rutgers 1
USF 2, Louisville 1
Houston 13, UCF 8
Saturday, May 24 – Pool Play (American Digital Network)
Temple 9, UConn 4
No. 1 Louisville (44-14) vs. No. 4 Rutgers (30-24) 3 p.m.
No. 5 USF (27-30) vs. No. 8 Memphis (29-29) 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 25 – Final (ESPNU)
Pool A winner vs. Houston (43-15) Noon
all times Eastern