University of Toledo
IPFW
Baseball: Toledo Prevails in Extra Innings at IPFW, 3-2
4/10/2002 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
FORT WAYNE, IN - Junior LF J.D. Foust's bases loaded hit by pitch with one out in the 10th inning propelled the Toledo Rockets to a 3-2 extra inning, non-conference victory at IUPU-Fort Wayne today.
The Rockets, who have now won two-in-a-row for the first time this season, improve to 6-16, while the Mastodons fall to 12-16.
"This is a great win for us," Toledo Head Coach Joe Jruzel said. "Our guys hung in there, and we were fortunate to pull out a victory. I was very pleased with our pitching and I thought we got some timely hitting and our defense was exceptional. I feel this was the first time in a long time that we put it all together."
Sophomore CF Sean Dobson led off the 10th inning hitting a ground ball to second base, but a high throw pulled the IPFW first baseman off the bag. After a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by sophomore SS Chris Arvay to advance Dobson to second, sophomore RF Mitch Maier and junior 2B Taylor Eckel drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and bring Foust to the plate. Falling behind in the count 1-0, IPFW pitcher David Zachary came inside with a fastball that caught Foust in the back scoring Dobson for his team-best 16th RBI of the season.
Toledo junior hurler Matt Harris (1-0) threw two scoreless relief innings to pick his first win of the season.
The Midnight Blue and Gold put a run on the scoreboard first when Maier led off the sixth inning with a double to left center. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by Eckel, Maier scored on a single through the right side by Foust.
IPFW tied the score in the seventh on an RBI groundout, before the Rockets reclaimed the lead in the eighth on Maier's team-leading fourth homerun of the season to center.
IPFW's Nate Hoggatt tied the score at 2-2 and sent the contest into extra innings in the bottom of the eighth with his third homerun of the season.
The Rockets out hit the Mastodons in a pitchers dual, 7-6. Maier led the victors finishing 2-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Foust also collected two base hits.
UT was also without the services of everyday starters junior 1B Phil Pilewski and sophomore RF Jarrod Resendez, who sat the game out with minor bumps-and-bruises.
Toledo received an exceptionally strong effort from starting freshman pitcher Todd Thomas. The Swanton, OH native limited the Mastodons to two hits over six innings of work.
"I was very pleased with Todd's performance," Kruzel said. "I was extremely happy he got us deep in the game and give our relief pitching a little rest. He threw the ball very well against a good hitting team."
The Rockets will return to action on Friday, April 12, when they host Siena Heights in a doubleheader at the Baseball Complex at Scott Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
