MONTGOMERY, Ala.— The Toledo baseball team concluded its weekend at Alabama State on Sunday, falling to the Hornets by a score of 9-8.
Toledo scored six runs in the top of the fourth, a season high, but Alabama State continued to chip away at the Rockets' lead until winning it with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth. Sunday's loss was the third straight walk-off defeat for the Rockets.
Junior
Trace Hatfield led the way at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs. SophomoresÂ
Darryn Davis and
Ryan Thompson as well as junior
John Servello all tallied two hits on the afternoon, and both Servello and Thompson scored two runs apiece as well. Sophomore
Mark Mohnickey contributed a two-run double to Toledo's big fourth inning. Eight different pitchers saw time on the mound for the Midnight Blue and Gold.
Toledo will embark on its annual spring break trip next week, starting with a weekend series at UAB.
How it Happened
- Alabama State scored the first run in Sunday's game. An RBI double into the gap in right-center field in the bottom of the second put ASU on top 1-0.
- The Rockets' bats exploded for six runs in the top of the fourth. Thompson scored on an error to tie the score at 1-1, then Mohnickey launched a double deep to right field that scored two and gave Toledo the lead. Hatfield's three-run home run gave the Rockets a 6-1 lead, their biggest of the weekend to that point.
- The Hornets got two runs back in the bottom half of the fourth on a solo home run and a bases-loaded walk.
- Servello's RBI single in the top of the fifth extended the Toledo lead and Hatfield followed that up with an RBI base hit to put the score at 8-3.
- The score became 8-5 after a two-run Alabama State home run cut into the Rockets' lead in the bottom of the fifth.
- The Hornets chipped away at the lead again with a two-run sixth inning. One run came in to score on a wild pitch and another came in via a sacrifice fly. The two ASU runs cut Toledo's lead to just one, 8-7.
- Alabama State tied the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI double hit deep to right field. Senior Nate Haugh entered the game with two runners in scoring position and maneuvered Toledo out of trouble.
- The Hornets' AJ Gardner ended the game with a two-out, walk-off home run to left field.
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