NASHVILLE, TN ? Toledo (1-2) split its seven-inning doubleheader against Belmont (3-3) on Friday afternoon at Greer Stadium. The Rockets earned the win in the first contest, 3-1, while Bruins won the nightcap, 7-4.
Senior RHP Dan Gatins was outstanding in a collegiate-best six innings of work in Game One, scattering one run on four hits with four strikeouts to earn the victory. Gatins, who had appeared in a total of 18 games in a relief role his first three seasons, made his first career start and picked up his first win since April 11, 2006.
Sophomore Matt Zahel pitched a scoreless final frame to tally the save. Zahel tied for ninth place in the Mid-American Conference with four saves last year.
After spotting the home team a run in the second frame, Toledo took the lead for good in the top of the third on a two-run single off the bat of senior co-captain Jake Oester. The four-year starter finished tied for third on the team last season with eight multi-RBI games.
Sophomore Jim Vahalik and junior Tim Krofcheck set the table in the frame with infield singles, before Oester delivered a RBI single to left field, plating the two runs.
The score remained the same until the sixth when junior Josh Johnson delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle to make it a two-run contest.
Krofcheck and Johnson led the way for the Rockets in Game One with two hits each. The Euclid, OH native has now tallied multiple-hit contests in each of UT's first two games this season.
For Belmont, Nate Woods turned in a complete-game effort on the hill, allowing the three runs, one earned, on six hits and three strikeouts.
In Game Two, the Bruins' Daniel Wagner hit a pair three-run home runs to help the home team earn the three-run win and salvage the split in today's twinbill.
Toledo freshman Lincoln Rassi drew the start and gave five runs on five hits with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings to suffer the setback.
The Rockets started the nightcap quickly and utilized a two-run double off the bat of freshman Jared Hoying in their first at-bat.
Unfortunately for UT, the lead did not last long as Wagner delivered the first of his three-run homers to shift the advantage to Belmont.
The Midnight Blue and Gold kept the pressure on though in the second when sophomore Chris Dudics knotted the score at 3-3 with a RBI double to right field.
Neither team would break the tie until the bottom of the third when Wagner hit his second round tripper of the evening to send Rassi to the showers.
The Rockets did not go quietly and plated a run in the fourth inning on a RBI double by Vahalik to cut the deficit to 6-4, before the Bruins plated their final run in the bottom of that frame.
Belmont's Brian Kelly worked the opening 6.2 innings in the nightcap, giving up four runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts to record the win and even his record to 1-1 on the season.
UT's Dudics, Hoying and Oester paved the way offensively with two hits each, while BU's Matt Zeblo recorded its only multi-hit effort with two as well.
The Rockets and Bruins will return to action tomorrow at Greer Stadium beginning at noon.
