Toledo Baseball powers through busy weekend

Rachel Nearhoof /IC

Rachel Nearhoof /IC

Kenny Kruse, Staff Reporter

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The University of Toledo baseball team (10-22, 4-5 MAC) had a busy week, starting Tuesday and ending with back-to-back games over the weekend.

UT lost at Wright State 4-2 in the teams’ first matchup, then headed to Bowling Green to face off against the Falcons, losing again 5-4 early Saturday afternoon, but winning 20-4 late Saturday afternoon and 8-4 on Sunday in extra innings.

Wednesday’s game versus Dayton was postponed for Wednesday, May 10.

UT vs WSU

Toledo took an early 1-0 lead in the opening inning. Third-year outfielder Brad Boss hit a longball to left-center field on the game’s first pitch. Riley Campbell, second-year infielder, bunted Boss to third base. Third-year outfielder Matt Hansen had a flyout down the left field line into foul territory and hit it deep enough to score Boss.

This was the first time the Rockets would score, and the team would not repeat again until the seventh.

WSU answered with two runs in the second to take the lead with a triple, RBI single and a walk with the bases loaded.

The Raiders added another two runs, one in the third and one the sixth, to lead the Rockets 4-1 on eight hits.

Fourth-year catcher Corey Tipton came up to the plate in the seventh inning with two outs and hit his second home run of the season. This was the Rockets’ last run of the game; the team lost 4-2 on seven hits.

UT vs BGSU Game 1

Friday’s game was postponed and a doubleheader took place Saturday afternoon at 12:05 p.m. By the seventh inning, the Rocket team was down 5-0.

Fourth-year left-handed pitcher Steven Calhoun (2-2) kept the Falcons from scoring in the first three innings. The UT offense struggled until the last two innings, coming up short with a four-run comeback.

Third-year outfielder Ross Adolph started a late comeback in the eighth inning for the Rockets with a double to center and scored on fourth-year designated hitter Jake Krupar’s pinch-hit double along the left field line.

UT’s comeback continued in the final inning with Hansen’s single to center field. Hansen advanced a base on a single from third-year infielder Dalton Bollinger.

Adolph doubled again to score Hansen. First-year infielder Malave Bettinger scored Bollinger with a sacrifice fly.

First-year catcher Michael Ryan singled, and Adolph scored the final run of the game, coming up short, losing 5-4.

UT vs BGSU Game 2

First pitch was set for 1:05 p.m. Saturday but was moved to 3 p.m. to accommodate Friday’s postponed game. The Rocket team carried over its momentum from the end of the earlier game and kept full steam ahead, routing the Falcons 20-4 on 23 hits.

The whole UT lineup contributed to the offensive hitting spree, especially third-year outfielder AJ Montoya. Montoya went 4-for-4 with a pair of home runs and doubles, a walk and four runs scored.

The Rockets got off to an early start, scoring four runs after Boss and Hansen both walked. Bollinger came up to bat and singled to load the bases for Montoya.

Montoya then cleared the bases with a grand slam for an early Rocket lead of 4-0.

UT added two more runs between the second and third innings. Boss hit a solo home run to right field in the second. Montoya doubled in the following inning and scored on Adolph’s single.

Bowling Green cut Toledo’s lead to 5-2 by the fifth inning, but Toledo answered with another four runs in the seventh.

The Rocket lineup batted all the way around from the seventh inning on. Bollinger singled to start the seventh and Montoya walked.

With one out, fourth-year right-handed pitcher Josh Cales walked to loaded the bases. Ryan contributed with a three-run triple to center field and first-year infielder Antonio Bennett hit an RBI single to score Ryan.

BG tacked on two runs in the seventh inning, scoring its last runs of the game on ten hits. UT scored ten more runs in the last two innings, five apiece, securing a big win over their archrival.

Bollinger singled to start the eighth, and Montoya hit his second home run of the game. Adolph doubled, and two wild pitches allowed him to score, making the lead 12-4. Ryan walked and moved to third on Bennett’s double. With one out, both baserunners scored on Boss’s two-run double.

The Rockets kept at it in the final inning and were able to finish strong. Toledo hasn’t scored 20-plus runs in a game in over seven years.

Fifth-year left-handed pitcher Ross Achter (3-3) pitched for 6.2 innings, only allowing an earned run on 10 hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. Cales pitched 2.1 innings of relief for the win.

UT vs BGSU Game 3

UT and BG started off the first three innings in a pitcher’s duel until the Rockets jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth.

Campbell and Hansen both singled, while Bollinger was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Montoya. Montoya hit a pop up for two outs, and Adolph came in to help, hitting a two-run single to right field.

UT added another run the fifth inning. Bennett doubled, advanced on Boss’s flyout and scored on Campbell’s second hit of the day.

Fourth-year right-handed pitcher Sam Shutes pitched six-plus innings, allowing two runs on four hits, four walks, and five strikeouts. Shutes kept the Falcons from scoring until the sixth inning.

BG took a 4-3 lead after the eighth and would not score again for the rest of the matchup.

The Rockets answered with a run in the ninth to tie the game 4-4 before heading into extra innings. Bollinger led off the ninth and hit a solo home run to tie the game. Jacob pitched the bottom of the ninth to force the game into extra innings.

UT scored four runs in the 10th to secure the series win. Bennett walked and advanced to second on Boss’s bunt. Campbell’s groundout moved Bennett and Boss to the next base.

Hansen walked, and Bollinger hit a two-out, two-run double to score Bennett and Hansen. Montoya hit another home run to extend the Rocket lead to 8-4 before fifth-year right-handed pitcher Caleb Schillace secured the win.

The midnight blue and gold will travel west to South Bend, IN to battle the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish Wednesday, April 12.

On Easter weekend, a three-game series against the University of Buffalo will take place at Scott Park. First pitches are at 3:05 p.m. on Friday and 1:05 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

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Toledo Baseball powers through busy weekend