Rockets woes continue

The Toledo baseball team early season struggles continue dropping four of five games over spring break and dropping to 2-13-1 on the season.

Toledo was crushed 12-4 in their first game against Florida A&M University on Tuesday, March 15, before a close 3-2 defeat to Florida State on Wednesday, with both games played in Tallahassee.

The Rockets traveled to Jacksonville, Florida to take on Jacksonville University in a three-game series that began Friday, March 11. UT dropped the opener 2-1 before winning the second game 6-1. The Dolphins won the rubber match with a 5-1 victory.

FAMU got things started off in the bottom of the first inning with a solo homerun hit to left field.

UT responded with a run in the top of the second before the Rattlers jumped out to seven runs in the bottom of the third, taking command of the game.

FAMU picked up four more runs over the course of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

The Rockets picked up a run in each of the last three innings but it wouldn’t be nearly enough in the 12-4 loss.

Redshirt freshman pitcher Alex Wagner picked up the loss after giving up seven hits and six runs in 2.1 innings.

UT finished the day with six hits and 10 men left on base.

“We found ourselves behind early but I thought we generated some opportunities,” Head Coach Cory Mee said. “We had guys in scoring position in six-out-of-nine innings but we weren’t able to come up with a big hit or able to string hits together.”

The Rockets had a much better performance against the No. 14-ranked Seminoles in Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat, according to Mee.

“I was proud of the way we played tonight,” Mee said. “We played with passion, poise and really got after it tonight.”

UT was no-hit in the contest and lost on a walk-off suicide-squeeze in the bottom of the ninth.

Freshman Michael Jacob took the loss after giving up the bunt in the ninth. Jacob pitched 1.2 innings, sitting down two batters and working out of jams in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings to keep the game tied at 2.

FSU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a two-out single by Ben Deluzio to left field bringing home Cal Raleigh from second.

Toledo took the lead in the top of the fourth without recording a hit. Matt Hansen was hit by a pitch and Deion Tansel was walked to put runners on first and second. Senior Dan Zuchowski reached on a throwing error allowing Hansen and Tansel to score, giving Toledo a 2-1 lead.

Raleigh scored again for the Seminoles in the bottom of the sixth to tie things up at 2 before going on to win the game in the bottom of the ninth.

The Rockets opened up the series against Jacksonville with a close 2-1 defeat on Friday.

“It was a game that went right to the final out,” Mee said. “I’m proud of the way our guys are competing. It’s tough for us right now.”

Down 2-0 in the top of the eighth, freshman Ross Adolph picked up his first collegiate hit with an RBI double but the Rockets weren’t able to bring him in.

Steven Calhoun picked up the loss for UT after tossing 6 innings, allowing two runs while striking out six.

The Rockets lone win over the break came on Saturday in game two of the three-game series.

Jacksonville got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the second. The Rockets jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the top of the third following a fielding error by the Dolphins.

Toledo busted the game wide open in the fifth inning with a bases-clearing double by senior centerfielder John Martillotta to give UT a 6-1 advantage.

Senior LHP Ross Achter earned the win after throwing 6.0 innings of two-hit baseball and striking out three.

“Ross pounded the zone and was ahead in count all day,” said Mee. “He made some big pitches and was much more efficient today.”

Jacksonville got on top of the Rockets early in the rubber match taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. The Dolphins picked up two more in the bottom of the third inning, taking a 4-0.

Junior pitcher Sam Shutes picked up the loss and was credited with all four runs. He was pulled after three innings of work, giving up five hits and four earned runs.

Toledo’s lone run came in the top of the eighth with a sacrifice fly to center field bringing in Marillotta.

The Rockets will try to get their season going in the right direction when they travel to South Bend, Indiana, to take on Notre Dame on March 16. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.