Toledo Uses the Long Ball to Defeat Ball State, 10-7

TOLEDO, OH – Toledo used the long ball to get out in front and defeat Ball State (29-21, 14-8 MAC), 10-7, on Friday, May 13 at Scott Park. With the win, the Rockets improve to 14-35-1 and 9-10 in the Mid-American Conference.

"It was a great team effort," head coach Cory Mee said. "I thought our guys did a good job of competing for all nine innings. We got off to a great start and the important thing was we kept tacking runs on."

Senior 3B John Martillotta knocked in a career-high four RBI and earned UT the lead early with a three-run home run. Sophomore CF AJ Montoya also hit a home run, his sixth of the year. Senior SS Deion Tansel added one RBI as well.

"John is starting to see the ball well," Mee said. "He's coming up with some big hits for us and it's great to see."

Junior LHP Steven Calhoun earned his fourth victory of the season after tossing 7.0 innings and fanning seven batters. Calhoun allowed five runs in the win and walked just one batter. Junior RHP Josh Cales earned his first-career save after scattering two hits in 1.1 frames. Cales used one pitch in the eighth to work out of a jam and hold the Rocket lead at two. Sophomore RHP Alex Wagner and sophomore LHP Alex Wagner also pitched in relief.

Toledo jumped out to an early lead when Martillotta hit a three-run home run to left field that scored sophomore 1B Dalton Bollinger and senior RF Cory Finkler.

Ball State scored on a Matt Eppers fielder's choice in the second and Alex Call home run in the third inning to cut the UT advantage to 3-2.

Montoya answered with a home run of his own in the bottom half of the frame that scored Bollinger and gave UT a 5-2 lead.

In the fourth, Toledo scored four runs without getting a hit. Tansel drove in a run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Martillotta plated his fourth RBI of the day with a fielder's choice. Heads up base running by UT scored the final two runs of the inning. After Montoya struck out swinging, a wild pitch allowed Tansel and sophomore DH Brad Boss to score.

BSU hit back-to-back solo home runs in the sixth, and Alex Call hit his second solo home run of the game in the seventh inning to cut the UT lead to 9-5. The Cardinals added two more in the eighth with a fielder's choice and single up the middle from Alex Maloney to make the game 9-7.

The Rockets added an insurance run in the eighth when Bollinger stole second base. The throw allowed Tansel to use his speed and score from third.

Toledo will look to get to .500 in the MAC on Saturday, May 14 at Scott Park. The Rockets will take on the Cardinals at 1:05 p.m., and senior LHP Ross Achter is expected to toe the rubber for UT.

Toledo Uses the Long Ball to Defeat Ball State, 10-7

Players Mentioned

Ross Achter

Dalton Bollinger

Brad Boss

Josh Cales

Steven Calhoun

Cory Finkler

John Martillotta

AJ Montoya

Deion Tansel

Alex Wagner

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