University of Toledo
Kent State
Toledo Drops Pair of Games at Kent State
4/12/2003 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
KENT, OH - Toledo (9-15, 1-6 MAC) dropped a pair of games at Kent State (13-12, 3-0 MAC) on Saturday afternoon in Mid-American Conference action at Gene Michael Field. The Rockets dropped a 4-2 decision in the opener, before falling by a 6-5 margin in the nightcap.
In the first game, Toledo opened the scoring in the second on an RBI groundout by junior SS Chris Arvay. With one out, senior's 1B Phil Pilewski and LF J.D. Foust connected on back-to-back singles, but an error by KSU's leftfielder Chuck Moore allowed Pilewski to take third and Foust to take second. Arvay then grounded out plating Pilewski for the game's first score.
Kent State would score the next four runs to take a 3-1 advantage on a two-run home run in the second by Adam Crowder, and a RBI double in the fourth by Crowder. The Golden Flashes finished off their scoring in today's first game in the fifth on a home run to right-center by Moore.
Toledo made one last effort in the sixth scoring a run on an RBI by junior C Mitch Maier, but it was not enough. After junior CF Sean Dobson led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a groundout, the Eastpointe, MI native made the score 4-2 crossing the plate after a fielding error by KSU shortstop Chris Welsch off the bat of Maier.
KSU's Matt Lorenzo (4-2) picked up the complete game victory limiting the Rockets to five hits over seven innings. UT's Ben Lovell (3-2) was tagged with the loss, surrendering four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.
Dobson led the Rockets in today's first contest going 2-for-3 with a run scored. He was the lone Rocket with a multiple-hit game.
In the second game, KSU tallied two runs in the third off UT junior starting RHP Shawn Hurst. With runners on second and third and two outs, Hurst threw a wild pitch to allow the first run to cross the plate, but catcher Dan Ruth's throw to Hurst at the plate got by Bryan, OH native allowing the second run to score.
Toledo cut the lead in half in the fifth on a RBI groundout by Dan Ruth, scoring Foust who led off the inning with a triple.
Toledo tied the score at 2-2 in the seventh inning on an RBI double by Arvay, scoring Pilewski from second.
Kent State quickly reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning scoring three runs on a pair of hits by Eric O'Brien and Welsch.
Refusing to quit, Toledo fought its way back and tied the score at 5-5 in the top of the eighth. Freshman 3B Dan Stong and Dobson led off the frame with back-to-back-doubles off KSU reliever Pat Frank. A single by Maier sent Frank to the showers and KSU third pitcher in today's second game, Phil Bojc, took to the mound. Senior RF Jay Juras grounded out driving in Dobson to cut the lead to 5-4. Toledo tied the score on a single by Foust bringing in Maier.
KSU, though, clinched the game in the bottom of the eighth on Chowder's second home run of the afternoon off UT reliefer Ian Baltzer.
Baltzer (1-1) was dealt the loss surrendering the game-winning run in 1.1 innings of work, while Bojc (1-0) picked up his first win of the season.
Foust (3-for-4, run scored, RBI) and Stong (3-for-4, run scored) led UT in Game Two with three hits apiece, respectively. Dobson (2-for-5, run scored, RBI) and Arvay (2-for-4, RBI) also collected multiple-hits for the Midnight Blue and Gold in the setback.
The Rockets and the Golden Flashes will wrap up their four-game series tomorrow starting at 1:00 p.m. at Gene Michael Field.
