University of Toledo
WEST VIRGINIA
Toledo Downs West Virginia in Series Finale, 10-6
3/20/2005 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
MORGANTOWN, WV - Toledo (5-10) defeated West Virginia (8-11) in Sunday's chilly series finale, 10-6, at Hawley Field.
Junior 1B Travis Pilewski (3-for-5, 3 RBI), junior SS Jason Watson (2-for-3, 4 RBI) and freshman LF Jake Swint (2-for-3, 3 runs scored, RBI) paced the Rockets' attack with multi-hit efforts. All nine UT starters collected a least one hit against three Mountaineer pitchers.
The Midnight Blue and Gold also received quality pitching from freshman RHP Steve Wenning and sophomore RHP Greg Gompf. Wenning made his second start of the season, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts in four innings of work. Gompf (2-0) came in and tossed the final five innings, surrendering one run on two hits to earn the victory.
Toledo struck first in the third inning with a run on three hits. Freshman CF Drew Hoisington led off with a single and advanced to second on a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt by Swint. Hoisington then came home on a single by Watson.
The Rockets increased their lead to 5-0 in the fourth frame to chase WVU starter Marty Fagler. The big blow was a two-run bases loaded single by Pilewski.
West Virginia finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth on a two-run home run by Kyle Matuszek. The next inning they tied the score at 5-5, following a two-run double by Stan Posluszny.
Toledo quickly regrouped and captured the lead for good in the sixth on RBI's by Watson and Pilewski to build a two-run cushion.
After WVU cut the lead in half in the bottom half of the sixth, the Rockets put the game away with a solo home run in the seventh by junior 2B Matt Ruth and a two-run blast by Watson in the eighth to make the final 10-6. It was the first collegiate home run for Ruth.
Toledo returns to action on Wednesday, March 23 when it travels to the Queen City to battle Cincinnati in non-conference action. The first pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.
