Avon, OH – No. 5 Toledo kept its regular season momentum going with seven runs in the first three innings and shot down No. 4 Northern Illinois, 11-7, in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon, OH. The win puts the team at 19-36-1 overall, and into the upper bracket of the double-elimination tournament. The Rockets will face No. 1 Kent State on Thursday, May 26 at 8:00 p.m.
 
"Tonight was a great team win in the tournament," head coach Cory Mee said. "We got off to a great start and we knew we were going to need to tack some on late in the game. We did just that and it was a great response by our offense."
 
Senior RF Cory Finkler played a massive role in getting the team off to a great start, and also in tacking on runs late. Finkler had a career-high four hits, including a lead-off double to start the contest. Finkler tied a career-high in RBI, with all three coming on an inside-the-park home run in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach.
 
"We were just very aggressive today," Finkler said. "My job is to get on base as the lead-off hitter and the team has done a great job of getting me in."
 
Every other Rocket picked up at least one hit today, and UT ripped a season-high 19 hits during the contest. Sophomore DH Brad Boss brought home two Rockets on the day, including Finkler during the second at-bat of the contest with a triple. Four UT players – senior SS Deion Tansel, sophomore 1B Dalton Bollinger, senior 3B John Martillotta and freshman LF Ross Adolph – all earned one RBI.
 
On the mound, junior LHP Steven Calhoun earned another quality start, tossing 6.0 frames and allowing just 2 earned runs to score. Calhoun picked up his sixth win of the season while fanning two batters and scattering four hits.
 
"Steven is a great competitor," Mee said. "When he goes out, we know exactly what we are going to get from him. There's a reason he pitches game one of every series for us and he gave us a chance to win tonight."

Three Rockets threw in relief. Freshman LHP Michael Jacob earned his eighth save of the season after tossing 1.1 innings and allowing one earned run. Freshman RHP Luke Schaefer and junior RHP Josh Cales also pitched in relief.
 
Toledo opened up the scoring early. After Finkler led the game off with a double to left-center field, Boss brought him home with his third triple of the year to right-center field. Tansel followed the triple with a single to score Boss. Adolph capped the three-run inning with an infield single that scored Tansel and gave UT an early 3-0 advantage.
 
UT kept its foot on the gas pedal in the second. Bollinger hit a ground-rule double down the left field line to score Hansen, and Martillotta brought Tansel home with a line-drive single that went off the pitcher. Tansel, who reached on a walk, made the game 5-0.
 
The Rockets extended the lead once again in the third. Hansen picked up an RBI with a single to center field. Boss plated his second RBI of the game with a single to left-center field to score Hansen for a 7-0 lead.
 
Northern Illinois scored its first run of the game with a Carl Russell home run over the left field fence to cut the UT lead to 7-1.
 
NIU cut the lead once again in the bottom of the sixth. Stephen Letz reached on a fielder's choice that brought home Tommy Hook.
 
The Huskies added four in the bottom of the eighth. After a Letz double scored Johnny Zubek, Justin Fletcher brought home two runners on a double to center field. NIU sliced the lead to 7-6 with a Brandon Mallder double down the left field line.
 
UT answered back with a huge frame in the ninth. Hansen started the scoring with a double to right center field to score Martillotta. Finkler put the game out of reach with a three RBI inside-the-park home run that scored Hansen and Adolph that gave Toledo an 11-6 advantage.
 
Northern Illinois cut the lead to 11-7 with a Brian Sisler double, but was unable to push closer.
 
The Rockets will face No. 1 Kent State on Thursday, May 26 at 8:00 p.m. in round two of the MAC Tournament.
 
PITCHING
Calhoun (W, 6): 6.0 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 K, 2 BB
Schaefer: 1.2 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 H, 2 K, 2 BB
Cales: 0.0 IP, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 K, 0 BB
Jacob (S, 8): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 K, 0 BB