BOWLING GREEN, OH - Toledo tallied season highs in runs and hits but it was not enough as the Rockets dropped a 13-10 decision against Bowling Green on Saturday at Warren Steller Field. With the setback, the Rockets fall to 18-17 overall, 7-4 in the Mid-American Conference.
UT posted double-digit runs for the first time this spring and had five players tally multi-hit efforts versus its arch-rival Falcons (13-18, 7-4 MAC). Toledo finished with 16 hits and seven of its starters registered a tally against a pair of BGSU hurlers. Junior INF Matt Delewski (3-for-5, RS, HR, 5 RBI), junior OF Ben Hammer (3-for-5, RS, 2 RBI) and senior C Jim Vahalik (3-for-5, RS) led the Rockets' offense with three hits each, while junior INF Joe Corfman (2-for-5, RS) and sophomore INF Wes White (2-for-4, RS, RBI) had two hits apiece in a losing effort.
Despite the impressive offensive numbers, Toledo's pitching struggled for the second-consecutive contest.
Junior LHP Kyle Shaw (4-2) allowed eight runs (five earned) on eight hits with three strikeouts in 2.1 innings and was saddled with the loss, snapping a four-game personal win streak. Junior RHP Alex Radon came on in relief of Shaw and was tagged for four runs (three earned) on four hits in 2.2 frames. Radon came into today's contest having not given up an earned run over his last six appearances, covering 9.2 frames.
After a two-hour rain delay, Toledo opened the scoring with a run in the first frame on the strength of three singles and a wild pitch with a runner on third base.
The Falcons quickly countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first on RBI singles off the bat of Jon Berti and Clay Duncan to take a lead they would not relinquish.
BGSU added its advantage with two tallies in the second on a RBI double by Ryan Schlater and another run-scoring single off the bat of Berti to make the score 4-1.
The home team then busted the game open with a five spot in the third frame to create an eight-run cushion, 9-1, and end the afternoon for UT's Shaw. The big hit in the inning was a three-run home run by Frank Berry.
After Toledo's White was credited a RBI in the fourth, BGSU retaliated with a pair of tallies in the fifth on Berti's third RBI of the afternoon to make the difference 11-2.
Toledo did not go down without a fight though, utilizing a two-run single by Hammer and a sacrifice fly off the bat of senior INF Chris Dudics in the sixth to send BGSU starter Nick Bruns to the showers. The Midnight Blue & Gold then greeted Falcons' reliever Mike Frank with a three-run round tripper by Delewski to trim the deficit to 11-8.
The Rockets were clearly back in the contest and needed the pitching and defense to stand tall and give them a shot in the last couple innings. Unfortunately, the Falcons quickly responded with a RBI single by Andrew Kubuski in the sixth and a run-scoring hit by Taylor Rhoades in the seventh to reestablish a five-run lead, 13-8.
UT made one final push to close the gap and received a two-run double by Delewski in the eighth inning, but the visitors could not get any closer and suffered back-to-back league losses for the first time this season.
BGSU's Bruns (3-2) was credited with the victory, while Frank earned his fourth save of the season. Offensively for the home team, their top three hitters - Frank Berry, Ryan Schlater, Jon Berti - combined for eight hits, seven runs scored and seven RBI.
The cross-division rivals will wrap up their three-game series tomorrow with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch. Junior RHP Lincoln Rassi is expected to start for the Rockets in Sunday's series finale.
