Toledo Loses at Nationally Ranked Virginia, 5-0

Saturday, February 23

Charlottesville, VA

1:00 PM

University of Toledo

Virginia

2/23/2013 10:46:00 PM | Baseball

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Toledo was stymied offensively for a second-consecutive day, dropping a 5-0 decision to No. 25 Virginia on Saturday at Davenport Field. With the setback, the Rockets fall to 1-3 on the season.

UT was limited to five hits against a pair of UVA hurlers, en route to being shutout for a second-straight day. Toledo suffered a 15-0 loss to the unbeaten Cavaliers (6-0) in yesterday's series opener. This marked the first time Toledo has been blanked in back-to-back contests under the direction of 10th-year skipper Cory Mee.

Junior LF Zack Michael (2-for-3) was the lone bright spot offensively for the Midnight Blue & Gold, finishing with a team-high two hits. The third-year Rocket has now tallied multi-hit effort in each of the first two games this weekend.

Senior CF Ben Hammer (1-for-3),sophomore 3B Anthony Smith (1-for-4) and sophomore SS Nate Langhals (1-for-3) were also credited with UT's other hits in today's non-league affair.

Despite not producing offensively, Toledo was able to keep the game close behind the outstanding performance of senior LHP Kyle Shaw (1-1). The southpaw hurler was brilliant in a second-consecutive start, giving up only one run on four hits with two punchouts in 6.0 innings.

The game was scoreless until the sixth frame when Virginia's Kenny Towns (2-for-3, RS, RBI) belted a triple to left center to score Brandon Downes (2-for-3, 2 RS, 3 RBI) with the eventual game-winning run. Downes reached base on a two-out walk. The tally was the first giving up by Shaw in 12.0 frames this spring.

The host Cavaliers then put the contest away in the eighth inning, taking advantage of a three-run blast by Downes off Toledo sophomore RHP Andrew Marra.

Virginia LHP Scott Silverstein (1-0) was credited with the victory, yielding four hits with four strikeouts in 6.1 innings. RHP Whit Mayberry came on in relief of Silverstein and was equally as effective, surrendering only one hit over the final 2.2 frames to collect his first save of the season.

The Rockets and Cavaliers will wrap up their three-game series tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. Freshman RHP Kyle Slack is slated to make his collegiate debut on the mound.