University of Toledo
BUFFALO
Toledo Defeats Buffalo in Final At-Bat, 5-4
4/8/2007 12:00:00 PM | Baseball
Final Stats
TOLEDO, OH - Sophomore Jake Oester's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning propelled Toledo to a 5-4 win over Buffalo in Sunday's Mid-American Conference series finale at Scott Park. With the victory, the Rockets improve to 14-11 overall and 5-4 in the league.
Junior Sean Boley got the ball rolling for UT in the ninth frame with a double into the corner in leftfield and UB leftfielder E.J. Folli's throw to second base was off line, allowing the Celina, OH native to advance to third. Boley was then pinch ran for by sophomore Josh Colliver and the ensuing two Toledo hitters were intentionally walked to load the bases. Oester stepped up to the plate and lifted a fly ball down the rightfield line just deep enough to plate Colliver with the game-winning run and help the Midnight Blue and Gold take two of three games in the weekend series.
Senior Joel Visser and juniors Scott Boley and Drew Hoisington led UT's offensive attack with two hits apiece. Seven of the Rockets nine starters collected a hit off a pair of UB hurlers. The home team was also aided by 10 walks in today's rubber match.
Senior Joe Roberts (1-0), the fifth of five Toledo pitchers, was credited with his first victory of the season. Roberts tossed a scoreless ninth frame to improve the Rockets to 6-1 at home this season.
The Rockets exploded out of the gate and scored two runs in its first at-bat off UB starter Mark Tourangeau. UT collected three hits, including a RBI single up the middle off the bat of Scott Boley, to take an early two-run cushion.
Toledo added to its advantage in the third on a RBI single off the bat of Sean Boley to make the score 3-0. With two outs and Hoisington on second base, Boley hit a high chopper over the pitchers mound. Hoisington did not break stride after rounding third base and scored the first of his three runs, even though the ball did not leave the infield.
The home team had a chance to increase its lead an inning later, as they loaded the bases with only one out, but Tourangeau recorded a pair of strikeouts to keep it a three-run contest.
Buffalo (3-22, 2-7 MAC), who went down order in three of the first four innings, finally broke through for three runs in the top of the sixth to knock out UT sophomore starter Ryan France and tie the score at 3-3. The Bulls utilized a two-run single by Chris Ciesla and a RBI double by Nick Walczak to draw the teams even.
Toledo countered with a run in the bottom of the sixth on the strength of three walks followed by a RBI single by Visser to give the lead back to the Midnight Blue and Gold.
Unfortunately, UT's advantage did not last long and the visitors tallied a run in the seventh inning on a run-scoring single by E.J. Folli off freshman RHP Justin Collop to knot the score for a third time in the contest.
In the bottom of the eighth, the Midnight Blue and Gold had another opportunity to jump again with the bases loaded and Scott Boley at the plate, but UB reliever Steve Geltz (0-2) recorded the strikeout to end the rally. Toledo, though, would not be denied a third time in the ninth.
The Rockets return to action on Tuesday, April 10 to battle Dayton in non-conference action. The first pitch from Scott Park is slated for 3:00 p.m.
