After rain Wednesday forced TC to return to Hill College on Thursday, the Leopards completed an 8-6 win and then rode a four-run first inning and Tyler Grygar’s strong pitching to a 10-1 victory.
Temple (24-8) is 10-2 in the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference, good for first place entering the Leopards’ home doubleheader against defending NJCAA Division I national champion Grayson County at 3 p.m. Saturday.
“We’re playing pretty decent baseball right now,” TC coach Craig McMurtry said. “We went back up there today and took care of business.”
A six-run third inning that included Darren Crabtree’s RBI double, Michael De La Rosa’s three-run home run and run-scoring hits by Garrett Raburn and Travis Trial helped TC lead the first game 8-6 in the fifth when rain and lightning suspended it. When played resumed Thursday, Stevie Kirks threw 2 1/3 hitless innings to save the win for Zach Butler (5-2).
In the finale, TC seized a 4-0 lead in the first as De La Rosa hit a two-run double and Ryan Meade and Thad Zentek also drove in runs. Meade also hit a two-run homer to support Grygar (1-0), who had seven strikeouts and allowed three hits in five innings before relievers Sam Cordero, Jake Bidelman, Korey Wacker and Chad McLin finished off the Rebels (7-21, 2-10) for the sweep.
Next up is heavyweight Grayson (12-16, 6-4), with pitchers Paul Spinn (5-0) and Lee Colon (6-0) set to face the Vikings.
“Grayson has been the cream of the crop in our conference and the team to beat,” McMurtry said. “The big thing is to make sure we respect these guys, but you sure don’t want to be intimidated."
