Avon, Ohio — Freshman
John Servello drove in the winning run in Toledo's extra-inning 2-1 win over Eastern Michigan on Thursday to keep the Rockets alive in the MAC Tournament.
Toledo will face Central Michigan at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday morning in another elimination game.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth, Servello ripped an RBI double to tie the game at 1-1. Then in the 10th inning, the MAC Freshman of the Year lifted a fly ball deep enough to score freshman
Chris Meyers and secure the win for UT in Thursday's elimination game.
Senior
Sam Shutes once again came up huge for Toledo, throwing 7.2 innings and striking out five while allowing just one run. It's the eighth time in his last 10 starts that he has thrown at least seven innings. Junior
Michael Jacob had a big day as well, throwing 2.1 perfect innings out of the bullpen and striking out three, needing only 19 pitches to work through the seven batters he faced.
Servello collected two hits and drove in both runs, and sophomore
Michael Ryan registered two hits as well and scored the game-tying run. Meyers' single in the 10th started the game-winning rally and senior
AJ Montoya reached base twice.
How it Happened
- Eastern Michigan struck first with a run in the top of the second. A leadoff walk was followed by a sacrifice bunt, allowing the runner to score easily on a double into the gap in left-center field.
- Shutes settled in after the first two innings. EMU loaded the bases in the first and scored in the second, but in the third, fourth, and fifth frames he allowed just one baserunner combined.
- Servello tied it up with an RBI double into the gap in left-center in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan reached with a base hit and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. He then made his way to third on a passed ball before scoring easily on Servello's hit.
- After Shutes exited the game with two outs in the top of the eighth, Jacob came in and got a harmless fly ball on his very first pitch to get UT out of the inning. The junior southpaw was dominant in the ninth and 10th, keeping the Eastern Michigan bats at bay long enough for the Rockets' offense to capitalize.
- Meyers led off the bottom of the 10th with a single up the middle into center field and Ryan followed with a walk. Senior Matt Hansen laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance the runners.
- After tying the game in the eighth, Servello took a 3-1 pitch out to center field that was deep enough for Meyers to slide in easily and keep Toledo's tournament hope alive.
Highlights from UT's victory against Eastern Michigan in the MAC Tournament elimination game.
Head Coach Cory Mee post-game.
Freshman John Servello post-game.
Senior Sam Shutes post-game.
