Toledo Loses at Valparaiso in Non-League Finale, 6-1

Tuesday, May 14

Valparaiso, IN

3:00 PM

University of Toledo

Valparaiso

Toledo Loses at Valparaiso in Non-League Finale, 6-1

5/15/2013 1:05:00 AM | Baseball

VALPARAISO, IN – Toledo sustained a 6-1 loss to Valparaiso on Wednesday at Emory G. Bauer Field in its finale non-league contest of the spring. With the setback, the Rockets fall to 20-30 on the season.

The Crusaders (25-26) did of their damage in the third through the sixth innings to avenge a 9-8 loss to UT back on March 6 as part of the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, NC. Valpo plated all six runs on the strength of six of its seven hits in the middle frames to improve to 13-2 on its home field this spring.

Toledo senior RHP Jared Locke (2-6) was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs (all earned) on six hits with five walks and one strikeout in the opening 4.2 innings of work. The Dundee, MI native has now issued at least four free passes in three of his last four starts.

Offensively, the 2012 Mid-American Conference West Division champions and the league's top hitting squad were limited to five hits. Senior 1B Matt Delewski (1-for-4, RBI), junior LF Jacob North (1-for-3), junior 2B Zack Michael (1-for-2), redshirt freshman C Lucas Sokol (1-for-4) and freshman 3B John Martillotta (1-for-4) were responsible for UT's hits against a pair of Valparaiso hurlers. In total, Toledo sent four batters or fewer to the dish in seven of the nine frames.

The Crusaders opened the scoring with a RBI single off the bat of RF Chris Manning (2-for-4, RBI) in the third inning. Manning led the home team with a game-high two hits. It proved to be a lead they would not give up.

The next frame, 1B Andrew Bynum (1-for-3, RS) successfully stole home to make the difference 2-0.

Valpo continued to pour it on and utilized a two-run single by C Jake Hanson (1-for-3, 2 RBI) in the fifth to extend the margin to 4-0.

The home team then wrapped up their scoring with a pair of insurance tallies in the sixth frame on the strength of a sacrifice fly by DH Karch Kowalczyk (0-for-2, 2 BB, RBI) and a RBI double by SS Spencer Mahoney (1-for-4, RS, RBI).

Toledo finally broke up the shutout in the eighth on a run-scoring two-base hit off the stick of Delewski. Junior CF Tyler Grogg (0-for-2, RS) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, before Delewski drove him home on his team-high 41st RBI of the spring.

Valpo RHP Kyle Wormington (5-7) earned the victory on the bump, giving up one run (one earned) on five hits with no walks and seven punchouts in 7.2 innings.

Toledo will remain on the road to conclude its regular season against MAC Wes Division rival Eastern Michigan on Thursday, May 16. The first pitch from Oestrike Stadium in Ypsilanti is slated for 6:00 p.m.

UT is currently tied with the Eagles for third place in the division and seventh in the overall standings with only three contests remaining. The top three finishers in each division automatically qualify for the double-elimination league tourney, which is slated to start at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, OH on Wednesday, May 22, followed by the two next best teams.