Toledo Falls 4-3 to Eastern Michigan in Walk-Off Fashion

Friday, May 19

Ypsilanti, MI

6:00 p.m.

University of Toledo

15-39, 8-15

Eastern Michigan

23-32, 14-9

Toledo

Eastern Michigan

Toledo Falls 4-3 to Eastern Michigan in Walk-Off Fashion

5/19/2017 9:31:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

YPSILANTI, Mich. - The Toledo baseball team tied the game in the top of the ninth only to fall 4-3 to Mid-American Conference foe Eastern Michigan in walk-off fashion on Friday night at Oestrike Stadium.

The Rockets (15-39, 8-15 MAC) knotted the game at 3-3 on a two-out RBI single by junior Matt Hansen in the final inning, but EMU put a runner on base and plated the winning run on Jordan Peterson's walk-off single.

Senior starter Sam Shutes was terrific in the early innings for the Rockets. Shutes started the game with a perfect first inning and worked around an error in the second to keep the Eagles scoreless.

UT took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third with a pair of tallies. Sophomore Riley Campbell walked with one out and took third on a single by junior Dalton Bollinger. Sophomore Ross Adolph came through in the clutch again with a two-out, two-run double to right center.

Shutes allowed a lead off single in the third, but erased the runner on a double play to end the inning. After tossing a perfect fourth inning, Shutes hit a batter with one out in the fifth. The base runner stole second to put himself in scoring position, but Shutes snagged a comeback liner and turned it into an inning-ending double play. Shutes faced one batter over the minimum through five innings.

A lead off double had Eastern Michigan (23-32, 14-9 MAC) in scoring position with no outs until the Rocket defense erased the threat. Adolph made a diving catch in center field and the Toledo infield had plenty of time to complete the double play at second base.

However, the Eagles rallied with two outs in the inning to take a 3-2 lead. Three hits and a walk and a bases-loaded hit by pitch gave EMU the one-run edge in the middle innings.

Sophomore Nate Haugh recorded the last out of the sixth and gave the Rockets a chance with scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth.

Toledo did all of its ninth inning damage with two outs. Freshman Michael Ryan walked and was pinch run for by senior Jacob Britt. Senior Josh Cales pinch hit and singled to left field, advancing Britt to second. That's when Hansen stepped to the plate and tied the score at 3-3.

Eastern Michigan put its lead off runner on first, bunted him to second, moved him to third on a groundout and ended the game with a two-out, walk-off single.

The Rockets and the Eagles will close their respective regular seasons with a 1:00 p.m. matchup tomorrow, May 20.

The Rockets will need a win to keep their MAC Tournament hopes alive. Toledo can make the postseason with help from Northern Illinois over Miami and a series win from Western Michigan over Buffalo.