Avon, OH – No. 5 Toledo dropped a heartbreaking affair with No. 1 Kent State, 3-2, in the second round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. With the loss, the Rockets fall to 19-37-1 and are forced into the elimination round. UT will face No. 8 Eastern Michigan on Friday, May 27 at 4:30 p.m. at All Pro Freight Stadium.
 
"I don't think you're going to see a better college baseball game with two teams going at it like this," head coach Cory Mee said. "I'm proud of our guys who competed from the first pitch to the last pitch."
 
The Rockets picked up a great performance on the mound. Senior LHP Ross Achter tossed 7.0 innings and allowed two earned runs to score. Achter only allowed three hits, and struck out a career-high 10 batters.
 
"Ross was simply outstanding today," Mee said. "He competed well and attacked the Kent State hitters. His slider was very good and when he got to two strikes he put hitters away."
 
Sophomore LHP Alex Wagner, sophomore RHP Nolan Silberhorn and freshman LHP Michael Jacob all pitched in relief. Jacob was tagged with the loss after allowing the go-ahead run in the ninth. Jacob tossed 1.1 frames and fanned one batter.
 
At the plate, Sophomore CF AJ Montoya led the way with a solo home run over the left field fence. Sophomore 2B Matt Hansen drove in the other UT run with a single up the middle.
 
The Rockets first hit of the game, coming in the second inning, was a home run from Montoya. His seventh home run of the season was deposited over the left field fence.
 
Kent State answered with a two-run home run in the fourth from Connor Simonetti to give KSU a 2-1 advantage.
 
UT tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth with a Hansen single up the middle to score Adolph. Adolph reached on a walk, and swiped a bag.
 
KSU took the lead in the top of the ninth with a triple from Dom Iero. Junior PH Jake Krupar hit a long fly ball in the bottom of the ninth, but it was caught on the warning track.
 
PITCHING
Achter: 7.0 IP, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 10 K, 2 BB
Wagner: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 K, 0 BB
Silberhorn: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB
Jacob (L, 5): 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 K, 0 BB