University of Toledo
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Toledo Defeats Central Michigan in MAC Action, 11-5
4/18/2003 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
TOLEDO, OH - Toledo (12-16, 2-7 MAC) rode the pitching of sophomore right-hander J.R. Duffey to run its home-winning streak to eight straight and claim an 11-5 victory over Central Michigan (12-17, 2-5 MAC) on Friday afternoon at Scott Park.
Duffey (3-1) scattered nine hits and allowed just three earned runs in going the distance for the Rockets in their first MAC home game. The Columbus, OH native tied his season-high fanning seven, while walking three.
"I'm extremely proud of the way J.R. went out there and competed," Toledo Head Coach Joe Kruzel said. "Early on it looked like he didn't have his best stuff, but he found a way to work through some jams. As the game went on, got himself into a groove and was actually throwing harder at the end of the game than at the beginning."
CMU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Mike Gates singled to drive in the game's first run. When UT's rightfielder Jay Juras booted the ball, Tommy Grubb, who reached on a single, scored all the way from first and Gates went to third. Unfortunately for Toledo, SS Chris Arvay's relay-throw to third was errant and Gates scored.
However, Toledo came back with four runs of its run in the bottom of the inning off Chippewas starter Ty Dunham. Three runs came on a junior C Mitch Maier's team-leading seventh home run of the season to right. UT then added two more in the second on a homer to center by junior Sean Dobson to chase Dunham and give the Midnight Blue and Gold a 6-3 lead.
CMU made the score 6-4 with a solo run in the fifth without collecting a hit. The Chippewas' Ryan Krueger was hit by a pitch and went to second on a walk. After both runners advanced on a double steal, Krueger came home on a sacrifice fly by Brian Lautzenheiser.
The Chippewas drew within one at 6-5, tallying an unearned run in the sixth, before Duffey and the Rockets closed the door.
UT plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth on RBI singles by senior 2B Taylor Eckel and junior RF Aaron Rouser and a sacrifice fly by Maier to make the score, 8-5.
The Rockets added a solo run in the seventh on another RBI by Maier and a run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Rouser to make the final, 11-5.
Seven of the Rockets' nine starters collected a base hit against four CMU hurlers. Maier led UT finishing 2-for-4 with five RBI. Freshman Dan Stong, Dobson, Foust and Rouser each pounded out hits two apiece to fuel the Rockets' offense.
CMU's Dunham (2-2) took the loss, allowing three hits and six earned runs in one inning of work.
The Rockets and Chippewas will continue their four-game series tomorrow with a twinbill beginning at 1:00 p.m.
