Cincinnati, Ohio — The Toledo baseball team opened up its weekend series at Cincinnati with a 5-4 loss to the Bearcats.

UT led heading into the bottom of the eighth but surrendered two runs to give UC a 5-4 lead. The Rockets initially took a 4-3 advantage thanks to sophomore Michael Ryan getting hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth. Toledo did a good job producing offensive chances on Friday; in six of their nine innings at the plate, the Rockets had at least two runners on base.

Junior Michael Jacob started on the mound and had a good outing, tying his career high with seven innings pitched, allowing three runs, while tallying six strikeouts and just one walk. Junior Ross Adolph had two hits at the plate and senior AJ Montoya smacked his second home run of the season, a powerful blast to left field.

The Rockets and Bearcats will face off again on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. at Marge Schott Stadium. Originally scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Saturday's game was pushed back due to potential winter weather in the area tomorrow morning.

How it Happened

• A pair of doubles in the bottom of the first inning helped UC score the first run of the game. The Bearcats nearly scored a second, but when a pitch skittered away from Ryan he collected himself and tossed the ball to Jacob who tagged out the runner trying to score from third. The play at the plate was the third out of the inning and got the Rockets out of trouble.
• The Midnight Blue & Gold tied it up in the top of the third. Freshman John Servello reached on a throwing error by the shortstop on a ground ball that would have ended the inning. Senior Brad Boss came in to score and make it 1-1.
• Cincinnati answered right back in the bottom half of the frame. An RBI groundout and a solo home run put UC ahead, 3-1.
• The Rockets scored once each in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. In the fifth, senior Dalton Bollinger laced a two-out single with the bases loaded to score one run, but senior Matt Hansen was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
• Leading off the top of the sixth, Montoya launched a towering home run to left field to even the score at 3-3. It was the 25th homer of his career and second of the season.
• Toledo took the lead in the top of the seventh. With men on first and second, freshman Chris Meyers came off the bench to pinch hit and drew a walk to load the bases. Next up was Ryan, who was plunked on the first pitch he saw to bring in a run and make the score 4-3.
• After allowing the solo home run in the third inning, Jacob retired 14 of the next 15 batters he faced.
• Cincinnati scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 5-4 lead, which would hold as the final score. An RBI double deep into the left-field corner brought in the tying run, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jace Mercer drove in the winning run.