University of Toledo
DAYTON
Toledo Blasts Dayton in Non-Conference Action, 16-6
4/6/2001 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
TOLEDO, OH - Toledo blasted a season-high eight home runs en route to a claiming 16-6 non-conference victory over Dayton on Tuesday afternoon at windy Scott Park.
With the victory, the Rockets improve to 10-16 on the season, while the setback drops the Flyers to 9-25.
"This was a big win for our team," Toledo Head Coach Joe Kruzel said. "I also feel this is a huge win for our program. We're very fortunate to beat a high-caliber Atlantic 10 program like Dayton."
Senior Taylor Eckel (4-for-5, five RBI, three runs scored) led the offensive slugfest for the Midnight Blue and Gold belting three home runs, including a pair of two-run blasts. It was the first three-homer game by a UT player since Phil Pilewski turned the trick against Marshall on April 6, 2001.
Also homering for the Rockets included sophomore Dan Ruth (1-1, one RBI, one runs scored), juniors Mitch Maier (2-for-4, two runs scored, one RBI) and Aaron Rouser (1-1, one RBI, one run scored) and seniors Jay Juras (2-for-4, three runs scored, one RBI) and Phil Pilewski (1-for-4, two RBI, two runs scored).
"Offensively, we swung the bats very good today," Kruzel said. "We were very fortunate to get some big hits when we needed them the most."
Toledo put the game's first run on the board in its first at-bat on Maier's team-leading sixth blast of the season.
After Dayton had tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the second, the Rockets regained the lead for good in the bottom of the frame, 3-1, on the first of Eckel's three round-trippers.
"It was good to see Taylor swing the bat the way he is capable of," Kruzel said. "We're hoping this is the start of something big for him and he can carry that out over the course of the rest of the season."
Dayton kept it close cutting the lead to 3-2 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Joe McSoley, but the Flyers would get no closer the rest of the way.
Toledo gained some breathing room in the bottom of the half inning, as it pushed its lead to 5-2 on the strength of Eckel's second blast of the game.
The Midnight Blue and Gold continued to poor it on in the fifth as the Rockets increased their lead to 10-2, highlighted by a two-run double by junior DH Shawn Hurst.
Dayton scored one run in the seventh and three more in eighth to finish off their scoring.
Toledo tallied a run in the seventh on Juras' first home run of the season and added five runs in the eighth, including back-to-back home runs by Pilewski and D. Ruth to make the final, 16-6.
In all, eight of the nine Toledo starters collected a base hit with five posting multiple-hit contests.
UT starter, senior LHP Ian Baltzer, one of four pitchers utilized by the Rockets, pitched three strong innings (controlled start) to earn the win, improving to 2-1 on the year. He allowed two hits and one run, while striking out three.
"I thought all our pitchers did a nice job today," Kruzel said. "We did not allow them to have a big inning, especially since the wind was blowing pretty hard."
The Rockets return to action tomorrow, April 16, when they host Siena Heights in a make-up game at Scott Park. Game time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
